Florida detective earns praise from LV police

Friday, Feb. 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

But the 11-year-old veteran of the Hialeah, Fla., Police Department checked out the information anyway and eventually confirmed the plan through two confidential informants.

Hernandez said the plot was being considered by two men interested in freeing murder suspect Geovanny Torres as he was being taken to Las Vegas by police on Jan. 30.

"The information came from two different sources, that they were going to either shoot the officers, or kidnap them and force them to release the suspect," Hernandez said. "Or if that didn't work they were going to do whatever was necessary."

Hernandez set up surveillance of the two suspects at a Hialeah hotel. Shortly before two Las Vegas detectives were expected to appear at a nearby courthouse on Jan. 30 to extradite Torres, 27, Hernandez arrested Torres' brother, Carlos Carlito, 24, and his acquaintance, Boris Fraga, of northwest Miami, at the hotel.

"In the early stages of the investigation we received some information that at least one of these suspects was bragging about a murder they did out West," Hernandez said. "We didn't know where, but we knew they were wanted."

Hernandez said Carlos Torres and Fraga were armed with several 9 mm handguns and shotguns at the time of their arrest. Investigators believe they were plotting with Geovanny Torres, who was behind bars, to disrupt the extradition.

The Torres brothers are charged with murder in the Dec. 30 killing of Alfonso Lazaro, 30, who was gunned down at the El Matador restaurant on Maryland Parkway after he became involved in an argument with two men.

The brothers were identified as suspects in the case shortly after Lazaro's death.

The two were located by Las Vegas authorities in Florida in late January after they were arrested there by police on a stolen vehicle charge, Las Vegas police Sgt. Bill Keeton said. By the time Las Vegas police learned of their arrests, they have been released from jail.

A short time later, Geovanny Torres was taken into custody in Miami Beach, but Carlos remained free until Hernandez made the arrests.

Carlos Torres is expected to be extradited to Las Vegas, while Fraga remains in custody in Florida on weapons and drug charges, Hernandez said. Geovanny Torres is in the Clark County Detention Center awaiting trial.

Keeton said Las Vegas police have expressed their appreciation to Hialeah authorities.

"Our detectives knew nothing about it at the time," Keeton said. "... We can't thank them enough."

But Hernandez insists he's not a hero.

"It's all part of the everyday job."