In a revelation of trust betrayed, former St. Cloud police officer Michael Adrian Nieto has admitted guilt in a federal court, conceding his involvement in a gun trafficking scheme. Nieto, 31, entered a guilty plea for dealing in firearms without a license and now faces up to five years in federal prison, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Though the date for his sentencing remains unset, the case underscores a concerning breach of law enforcement ethics.
Details furnished by the plea agreement shed light on how Nieto proceeded to not only purchase and resell at least 58 firearms between June 2022 and September 2024 but also to engage with criminals directly. He was found to supply arms to Ernesto Vazquez, who has been identified as a key player in an operation that illegally smuggled weapons to the Caribbean. Vazquez, who has already pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking, is set to hear his sentence on March 25. The gravity of Nieto's acts is magnified by his corrupt use of police databases to aid in illicit activities, feeding confidential information to further the criminal conspiracy.
During a search on October 17, 2024, federal agents discovered 12 firearms still in Nieto's possession. In a subsequent interview with the FBI and ATF, Nieto confessed to his recurring role in the buy-and-sell gun transactions and his cognizance of Vazquez's intentions to reroute the firearms illegally. He also conceded that Vazquez provided him with illegal items, among them a machinegun conversion device.
The St. Cloud Police Department, under the leadership of Police Chief Douglas Goerke, has pledged to investigate Nieto's transgressions thoroughly. "The St. Cloud Police Department has worked closely with the Department of Justice to assist them in their investigation regarding former officer Michael Nieto. In the wake of the recent DOJ findings, we are conducting our own in-depth investigation into the matter," Goerke assured, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office press release. He emphasized the department's commitment to swiftly respond and maintain the community's trust, intimating immediate consequences for any officer who violates their oath of duty.
The FBI and ATF collaborated to conduct the successful investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman headed the prosecution. The case demonstrates the federal agencies' commitment to rooting out corruption within ranks purportedly intended to safeguard the public, and this guilty plea marks a critical step in the fight against gun trafficking and police misconduct.
