Miami-Dade felon arrested in synagogue threats, sheriff says
A felon from Miami-Dade County was arrested this week over recent shooting threats against his synagogue in Fort Myers, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday morning.
The investigation into Alfredo Sanchez, 43, began Tuesday when deputies were notified that the Fort Myers man had made at least one statement of having the “ability and the means to carry out a shooting at the synagogue” at which he was a member, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said at a news conference Thursday morning.
Deputies were also told Sanchez had offered to sell a firearm to another synagogue member. The sheriff did not disclose what synagogue Sanchez attends.
Marceno says Sanchez is a felon from Miami-Dade County and was previously sentenced to prison for firearm charges. Under Florida law, convicted felons are not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
Investigators interviewed several witnesses, found “probable cause” and were able to secure a search warrant for Sanchez’s home, Marceno said.
“During this search, detectives discovered large amount of ammunition, gun cases, gun cleaning accessories but no firearms,” Marceno said.
Investigators later learned Sanchez had left to visit a nearby relative before the deputies arrived at his home. When detectives got to his relative’s home, they found a duffle bag he had dropped off. Inside were four guns, including an AK-47 style rifle, Sheriff Marceno said.
Sanchez was arrested Wednesday and is charged with two state counts of possessing a weapon or ammo by a convicted felon, according to arrest records. Marceno says there is now an “open and active investigation” into whether Sanchez may also face federal charges.
“This investigation not only took firearms out of the hands of a convicted felon, it may very well prevented an unspeakable event that could be seen on national news,” the sheriff said.
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 10:52 AM.
