Police: Man Conspired To Kill Miami- Dade Officer

MIAMI --

Police arrested a man on Wednesday who they say conspired to kill a law enforcement officer, police said.

Police said they arrested Mackendy Venant after they heard several recorded phone conversations from the federal detention center between Venant and co-defendant Raymond, who is serving time in a federal jail.

Police said they started the investigation when evidence proved that the man and the inmate conspired to murder Officer Nelson Rodriguez of the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Police said Raymond was arrested by Rodriguez and is in federal custody on a gun charge. Police said Raymond mentioned that the plan would benefit him greatly.

The investigation revealed that Venant and Raymond planned to acquire an AK-47 high-powered rifle and had already acquired at least one handgun, police said. Police said Raymond also provided Venant with information on how to obtain AK-47 rifles.

Police said Venant, who was paid $1,000 in order to kill Rodriguez, acknowledged in the recorded phone calls that he has at least one gun and that he is still interested.

In several of the recorded conversations, police said Raymond mentioned that he was working on “something to get out of jail.”

Venant is charged with attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer.

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