A Miami police officer has been arrested after he allegedly issued a false traffic citation to his ex-girlfriend using a colleague’s computer password, according to the state attorney’s office.
Officer Zamir Vargas Valerio is charged with official misconduct and offenses against computer systems; both are third degree felonies.
“Officer Valerio allegedly used criminal justice resources of a major police department in what may be seen as an attempt to reconnect with a former girlfriend. This is not only beyond normal comprehension, but it is also a violation of the law,” State Attorney for Miami-Dade Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement.
Victim received a Miami traffic ticket while serving overseas
According to the state attorney’s office, the fraudulent citation came to light when Lisa Casares, the accused officer’s ex-girlfriend, received a notice from traffic court. Casares, who is serving overseas, said her mother contacted her about it. According to the arrest warrant, she said she thought it was a mistake because she was out of the country when the alleged violation occurred.
After sending an email to the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Courts, Casares learned that the citation was in fact valid. She then contacted the Miami Police Department.
That’s when the alleged fraud was uncovered.
“The Internal Affairs Division learned that the officer listed as issuing the citation was on disability leave when the ticket was issued. Further investigation led police internal affairs investigators to believe that Officer Vargas Valerio allegedly utilized the computer access password of another police officer to issue the false traffic citation,” the state attorney’s office said in a statement.
Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales said Valerio, who has been with the department for eight years, will face the full extent of the law.
“As Chief of Police, I want to make it unequivocally clear that we are committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and accountability within our ranks. Our department initiated this investigation because we hold ourselves to the same standards we ask of our community—transparency, responsibility, and obedience to the rule of law.”
