Miami Beach supervisor had employee build a kayak rack, cops say. That led to an arrest
A Miami Beach supervisor was charged with theft and official misconduct after investigators say he directed an employee to construct a metal rack that the boss used as a kayak holder at his Hialeah home, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
Cadel Aldana, who turned himself in to police Wednesday, was the operations supervisor in the city’s facilities and fleet department from 2017 until he was fired last week. He faces one count of official misconduct and one count of theft.
“While stories of government workers using city resources and staff for private purposes always undermine the confidence of taxpayers, Miami Beach residents should recognize and appreciate the vigilant efforts of the Miami Beach Inspector General, the Miami Beach Police Department and my Public Corruption prosecutors who work to ensure that such activities end,” said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle in a news release.
According to the state attorney’s office, a tip to the Miami Beach inspector general sparked an investigation into Aldana.
Investigators found that in 2020, Aldana “allegedly directed a subordinate to construct a large metal storage bracket,” the state attorney’s office said. The employee constructed the bracket with city materials and on city time.
The bracket then ended up being used as a kayak holder at Aldana’s home, the state attorney’s office said, citing a police report.
“A search warrant executed by the Miami Beach Police led to the discovery and seizure of the stolen property, which is the basis of the theft charge,” the state attorney’s office said in the news release. “The charge of Official Misconduct is based on the suspect’s allegedly causing the creation of a false city work order describing the item in question as ‘brackets for a saddle mounted toolbox.’ ”
Investigators spoke with other employees and surveillance video to recover the item and build a case against Aldana, the state attorney’s office said.
“This investigation would not have succeeded without the full cooperation of City of Miami Beach employees who provided crucial sworn testimony attesting to the facts of the case as well as the involvement of Miami Beach Police who worked jointly with my office to complete the investigation,” Miami Beach Inspector General Joseph Centorino said in a news release. “This illustrates the importance of encouraging public employees to come forward to authorities to protect the city’s taxpayers from this type of misuse of city resources.”
