Florida Land Use Dispute: Retired NYPD Sergeant Arrested Over Mosque Threat

Rodolfo Mienert, a 68-year-old retired New York Police Department sergeant, was taken into custody in St. Petersburg on November 2, 2026. Law enforcement officials charged him with a felony after he allegedly threatened Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott online. The dispute stems from a local land-use decision regarding the expansion of a mosque in North Pinellas.

Investigators from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office say Mienert posted a comment on Facebook under the username Rudy MineAllmine. He called Scott a Republican turncoat and followed that description with the phrase off with his head. Detectives traced the account to Mienert using its IP address. The profile featured a picture of Bugs Bunny holding a revolver and included a biography stating that the owner was happy if he had annoyed a liberal that day.

Mienert confirmed to detectives that he owned the account. He described himself as very vocal and not afraid to share his opinion on political matters. He explained that his comment was a direct reaction to Scott's vote to allow the mosque expansion. Mienert viewed the decision as a betrayal of his party. The most recent post on the account before the incident was a repost of a campaign video for Scott with the caption DO NOT vote for this person, he voted FOR a mosque.

The conflict began when Mienert responded to a Facebook post criticizing Scott for supporting the land-use change. The vote had sparked debate among local residents. Mienert told investigators that he attended a County Commission meeting on October 27, 2026, where the mosque issue was discussed. During that session, he stated that he had moved from New York to beautiful Florida. He argued that the expanding footprint of the mosque would negatively impact the local environment and increase traffic congestion.

Sheriff Bob Gualtieri issued a statement addressing the arrest. He noted that threatening to cut off the head of a county commissioner due to a vote on a land issue is intolerable. The sheriff added that the department would strictly enforce the law against anyone who makes threats of this nature. Mienert has been charged with one felony count of a written or electronic threat to kill. In Florida, this offense carries a maximum potential sentence of 15 years in prison.

Mienert served for 22 years with the NYPD before retiring as a sergeant. He remains in the Pinellas County Jail. Court records indicate that he is scheduled to appear in court on the afternoon of November 3, 2026, for his next legal proceeding.