An Aventura Police officer is standing trial over allegations of a violent confrontation with two men whom he accused of stealing his wife's cellphone. Officer David Delgado, 33, made no comments when he bailed out of jail following his arrest. Delgado, who is facing two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, is accused of pulling a gun on Kenley LaFalaise, roughing him up in Pompano Beach, and handcuffing him along with his friend in May, as reported by WSVN.
The incident allegedly began at Aventura Mall, where Delgado's wife, a valet driver, left her phone in LaFalaise's car. Delgado then tracked the phone to Pompano Beach using his police vehicle. Upon locating LaFalaise, Delgado reportedly brandished his weapon and threatened, “‘Shut the [expletive] up,’ That’s what he said: ‘shut the [expletive] up, shut the [expletive] up before I shoot you",” LaFalaise testified. A portion of the encounter was captured on a cellphone video, while defense attorneys highlighted that despite the incident, LaFalaise went out later that night.
Further details of the lead-up to Delgado's arrest on kidnapping and other serious charges emerged from a new arrest warrant. On May 20, the two victims valeted their car with Delgado's girlfriend and found her iPhone in their vehicle as they left to perform at the Haitian Compas Festival. They planned to return the phone after their performance but encountered Delgado, in uniform and armed, at a Pompano Beach apartment. The NBC6 warrant stated Delgado yelled at the victims, "put your f---ing hands behind your back before I shoot".
During the confrontation, Delgado handcuffed one of the alleged victims and injured his knee, the warrant claimed. After retrieving his wife's phone, Delgado removed the handcuffs and left the scene. The Aventura Police Department launched an internal investigation following the victims' complaint, with the Broward Sheriff's Office Public Corruption Unit stepping in and proceeding with charges. Delgado, who has been with Aventura Police since February 2019, was suspended without pay after his arrest, officials confirmed. Delgado's girlfriend, in an exclusive interview with NBC6 expressed her bewilderment at the situation, claiming, "God knows like the truth and what’s happening and what had happened before, so there’s nothing else I can say,"
The trial against Officer Delgado is ongoing, as he faces serious allegations of abuse of his police powers. Both victims have provided their account of the events, and the prosecution continues to build its case against the officer. The trial is expected to continue today, according to WSVN.
