Miami-Dade Police Department Officer Michael Freshko has been charged in a criminal information with conspiracy to unlawfully export firearms from the United States to the Dominican Republic, on flights from Miami International Airport.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Juan J. Perez, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), made the announcement.
Freshko, 48, had his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge William C. Turnoff. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles.
According to the allegations in the criminal information, after receiving firearms from a co-conspirator, Freshko used his official position as a MDPD officer to transport the firearms past the passenger screening area and into the portion of Miami International Airport that housed the departure gates. The criminal information further alleges that Freshko thereafter would deliver the firearms to a co-conspirator, who in turn would store the firearms within carry-on baggage. Next, a co-conspirator would travel to the Dominican Republic aboard a commercial flight, with the firearms within carry-on baggage. After arriving in the Dominican Republic, a co-conspirator would deliver the firearms to an associate.
The criminal information states that one or more firearms were smuggled in this manner on October 5, 2012, and multiple firearms were smuggled on December 7, 2012. The information alleges that Freshko and the members of the conspiracy smuggled six firearms from Miami International Airport to the Dominican Republic. The smuggled firearms consisted of four Glock .9 mm pistols, one Sig Sauer .9 mm pistol, and one Sig Sauer 5.56 rifle.
The case was investigated by law enforcement officers in South Florida and New Jersey. Mr. Greenberg thanked the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force; the MDPD Professional Compliance Bureau; the FBI Newark Division-Franklin Township Resident Agency; the Drug Enforcement Administration Newark Division-Patterson Post of Duty; and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davis.
A criminal information is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
