A prison officer brought in cocaine from Miami and planned a man’s murder, cops say
An arrest report says once Miami-Dade police and the Miami state attorney’s office began investigating Jose Alcazar, they found a walking pile of corruption: the ferry for prisoners’ cocaine and prohibited goods, setting bribe prices for favors and using an inmate’s nephew to arrange a hit on someone.
Except, the report said, it wasn’t an inmate’s nephew, it was an undercover cop, and once Alcazar’s intentions were clear, Miami-Dade police arrested him last Monday, April 11, in the parking lot of a Hialeah Gardens Denny’s.
Alcazar has been charged with first-degree solicitation of murder; introduction of a firearm or explosive device into prison; introduction of a communications device into prison; cocaine possession with a firearm; armed possession of marijuana with intent to sell; two counts of compensation for unlawful acts; and one count of criminal solicitation.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
No bond was set at his first appearance bond hearing. Online court records say another bond hearing is set for 9:15 a.m. Monday.
Alcazar is an officer at South Bay Correctional Institution in Palm Beach County. According to the Florida Department of Corrections, South Bay is a private prison operated by Boca Raton-based The Geo Group under a contract with the Department of Management Services.
Conversations at Denny’s
According to an arrest report by Miami-Dade police’s Nelson Rodriguez:
Two confidential informants and South Bay inmates told Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office investigator Jodi Schuster that Alcazar would go to Miami-Dade to pick up drugs and contraband each weekend. Schuster brought in Miami-Dade police, which had an undercover officer act as the nephew of the one of the informants. The informant passed along his “nephew’s” phone number to Alcazar.
Alcazar and the undercover officer scheduled a meeting at the Denny’s at 11701 W. Okeechobee Rd. around 1 p.m. March 12. Alcazar pulled his Nissan Morano next to the undercover officer’s car on Miami time, 1:27 p.m.. Once Alcazar hopped into the back seat of the undercover’s car, the officer handed him $1,200 cash and three SIM cards.
The two men got out and walked over to Alcazar’s car, “where they discussed that [Alcazar] wanted a male killed,” the report states. “The UC said that he and his people would do their homework and let [Alcazar] know when they were ready.”
The next day, one of the informants let investigators know Alcazar brought him the SIM cards.
After three weeks of talk and text messages, Alcazar reached out to the undercover officer and asked for a .380 revolver, “a small one to take into the facility.”
The undercover officer said he’d try to satisfy Alcazar’s request.
Cocaine, murder and family matters
Alcazar stood up the undercover officer and Rodriguez on April 10, but was at the Denny’s parking lot around 12:15 p.m. Monday, April 11.
“After a short conversation, [Alcazar] advised the UC that he was only able to obtain 7.8 grams of cocaine and that he paid $400,” the report said.
Alcazar gave the undercover an Ice Breakers gum container with the cocaine. The undercover gave Alcazar $1,900 cash — $400 for the cocaine and the rest as a down payment on the $10,000 Alcazar was charging the undercover to get his “uncle” transferred out of South Bay.
Once they got out and walked over to Alcazar’s car, conversation returned to the previously requested murder and .380 revolver. The undercover officer told Alcazar he wanted to make Alcazar’s service request about the former perfectly clear, according to the arrest report.
Undercover officer: “I just wanted to make sure you want the victim disappeared.”
Alcazar: “Uh, huh. You observe him and analyze him. If you think if it’s better for him to get wacked to leave all of us in peace.”
Undercover officer: “But, you’re good with that?”
Alcazar: “Yes. Remember on the first day we met, I told you that if you step on me...”
Undercover officer: “Yes, I remember that conversation. I want to be good with that so there is no misunderstanding.”
Alcazar: “No, no, if you tell me that you put one and he is left in a coma stage, then, oh, well. If you think that’s what it should be, it stays like that. I am doing this for my wife and my family.”
Alcazar warned the undercover that the guy he wanted killed has several guns and knows how to use them from target shooting.
When the men walked back to their respective cars, other cops arrested Alcazar.
This story was originally published April 18, 2022 at 6:01 AM.
