Ex-Hialeah Officer Fails to Get Kidnapping Charge Dropped

Former Hialeah police officer Lorenzo Orfila, accused of kidnapping and beating a homeless man, has failed to get his most serious charge—kidnapping—dismissed.

Orfila, alongside ex-officer Rafael Otano, was arrested in early 2023 for allegedly kidnapping Jose Ortega-Gutierrez, a homeless man known to frequent a local bakery. Employees had called 911, claiming he was disturbing customers. However, instead of taking Ortega-Gutierrez to jail, GPS data showed the officers transported him to an isolated area, where he was allegedly beaten.

Otano was convicted of aggravated kidnapping and sentenced to 66 months in prison in November 2023, though he was acquitted of battery. Orfila, who also faces an attempted official misconduct charge, hopes for a different outcome.

Orfila’s defense argued he had “legal authority” to detain Ortega-Gutierrez, making the kidnapping charge invalid. However, Judge Andrea Wolfson ruled there was no probable cause for the arrest, rejecting the motion to dismiss.

Orfila’s attorney, Ben Kuehne, plans to appeal, stating, “If we prevail, Mr. Orfila will not face trial for kidnapping.” Whether he will stand trial remains to be seen.