Florida City man threatens to shoot lieutenant in head, detectives say

KEY WEST, Fla. – A Florida City man was arrested Thursday after threatening to shoot a Monroe County Sheriff's Office lieutenant in the head, sheriff's spokeswoman Becky Herrin said.

Johnny Nash, 47, faces a felony charge of threats against law enforcement.

Herrin said detectives received information from a source that Nash was planning to shoot Lt. Al Ramirez in the head as payback for Nash's October arrest. She said detectives learned that Nash planned to ambush Ramirez at a Key Largo park, take his gun from him and shoot him in the head with it.

Nash was arrested in October on an outstanding warrant for sale of cocaine. Herrin said the warrant stemmed from a September incident in which an undercover deputy purchased cocaine from Nash.

Herrin said Nash has a lengthy criminal history, including possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and attempted first-degree murder.

"We will not tolerate threats against our officers and will move quickly and decisively to make an arrest when someone threatens one of our own," Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said.

Herrin said authorities also learned that Nash threatened to kill a Key West police detective in September and planned to kill an officer during Fantasy Fest or the Goombay Festival.

Under a new Florida law, it is illegal to make threats against law enforcement officers, state attorneys, assistant state attorneys, firefighters, judges, elected officials or their family members.