Florida City police officer arrested, accused of falsifying reports

Cpl. Ken Armenteros charged with 2 counts of official misconduct

FLORIDA CITY, Fla. ā€“ A Florida City police officer was arrested Friday and charged with two counts of official misconduct after an investigation revealed that he was falsifying reports, authorities said.

Cpl. Ken ArmenterosĀ surrendered after an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Miami-Dade County state attorney's office found he was untruthful regarding events from an incident on Sept. 12, 2016.

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During the incident, Armenteros claimed he was off duty and riding his motorcycle when he was flagged down by Christopher Lewis in an area officers described as being "known for narcotics sales."

Armenteros, 37, said Lewis offered to sell himĀ marijuana and told the officer he had cocaine at his home. Upon arriving atĀ Lewis' home, ArmenterosĀ reported that heĀ pulled out his badge to begin an arrest after observing what he said was a "large paper package resembling a brick, open in the middle with a large white rocky substance."

ArmenterosĀ said that while he was calling for backup, Lewis reached for his gun and struck the officer.

Lewis was arrested when other Florida City police officers arrived atĀ the scene.

But an investigation showed that Armenteros' statement did not match up with the observations of otherĀ officers at the scene, authorities said.Ā 

Also, the official police reports, which was signed by Florida City police Officer Manuel Neyra, wereĀ actually written by Armenteros, authorities said.

Charges against Lewis were dropped after Armenteros' false reports were discovered.

"A police officer's credibility is one of his most valuable law enforcement tools,"Ā State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement. "The filing of any false document undermines that officer's ability to testify in court. As state attorney, I know that one can never truly discover the truth once it has been layered with distortions or lies."

Official misconduct is a third-degree felony.