Retired NYPD Sergeant Mienert Charged Over Mosque Vote Threat
A 68-year-old former New York officer faces a felony count after posting a call for the beheading of a Florida county commissioner on social media.
By Lucas Collins ·
Rodolfo Mienert, a 68-year-old retired New York Police Department sergeant, was arrested on Monday in St. Petersburg after making a social media threat against a local elected official. The charge stems from a comment Mienert posted regarding a land-use decision made by Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott.
Mienert commented on a Facebook post that criticized Scott for supporting a land-use change. This change would allow the North Pinellas mosque to expand. In his response, Mienert labeled Scott a "Republican turncoat" and wrote, "off with his head!" according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
The comment was made from the account "Rudy MineAllmine." The profile featured an image of Bugs Bunny holding a revolver. The bio read, "..if I pissed off a libtard today, I'm happy!! no further reply!!" The most recent post on the account reposted a campaign video from Scott with the caption, "DO NOT vote for this person, he voted FOR a mosque."
Detectives traced the account's IP address to Mienert, who confirmed ownership during questioning. He stated he is "very vocal and not afraid to share his opinion" on political matters. Mienert explained that he called Scott a "turncoat" specifically because of the vote to approve the mosque expansion.
Mienert told detectives he attended a County Commission meeting on Oct. 27 where residents debated the issue. He claimed he moved from New York to Florida for the climate and argued that the mosque's growing footprint would harm the environment and worsen traffic.
Mienert is charged with one felony count of a written or electronic threat to kill. In Florida, this offense carries a maximum sentence of 15 years. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said in a statement that threatening to cut off the head of a commissioner over a land vote is intolerable. The sheriff's office pledged to strictly enforce the law against such threats.
Mienert retired after 22 years of service with the NYPD. He remains in the Pinellas County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon.
