Police have identified a group of people they said are suspected police impersonators.
Miami-Dade police said 23-year-old Damial Rosello, 27-year-old Lazaro Souchay, 38-year-old Edismer Arango, 26-year-old Miranda Carrero and 54-year-old Andres Nohaya have been charged with carrying concealed firearms, loitering and prowling.
Nohaya was also charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence. He was taken to the hospital with injuries from the confrontation before being arrested.
Detectives said the suspects met at Concord Park at 3301 SW 114th Avenue Monday and got into a vehicle that was waiting for them. Once they were inside, undercover officers say they saw the suspects putting on tactical gear containing police insignias. The gear consisted of shirts and hats with the word "police" on them, along with red and blue on visors and badges that appeared to be police badges (photo below).
Arango then got out of the car and fastened a holster with a semi-automatic pistol in it, police said. As the group left the park, officers stopped their silver Nissan Maxima and detained the five suspects.
They were then taken into custody and charged. The men were not charged with impersonating police officers because they were not seen conducting police activity. Officers also said the type of police gear they were carrying could be bought at stores.
Police are still trying to determine what the suspects were attempting to do with the gear. Investigators searched a Southwest Miami-Dade home at 3100 SW 115th Avenue Tuesday and came out with trash bags and boxes full of evidence. Detectives said the raid was connected to the suspected police impersonators.
Nohaya is currently being held on $15,500 bond, online jail records show. The bond amount has not yet been posted for the other suspects. It is unclear if they have attorneys.
