Retired NYPD officer arrested after 'off with his head' post over Florida mosque expansion
A retired NYPD officer living in Florida was arrested Monday after authorities say he made a social media post calling for the beheading of a Pinellas County commissioner who recently voted to approve the expansion of a local mosque.
Rodolfo Mienert, who now lives in St. Petersburg, allegedly commented on a Facebook post criticizing Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott for supporting a land-use change that would allow the North Pinellas mosque to expand.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, the 68-year-old ex-officer called Scott a "Republican turncoat" before writing, "off with his head!"
Mienert posted this Facebook comment under the username "Rudy MineAllmine," according to an affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
A booking photo for Rodolfo Mienert, 68, a retired NYPD officer who was arrested Nov. 2, 2026, after allegedly making a post calling for the beheading of Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott. (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)
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The account's profile picture shows Bugs Bunny holding a revolver, while its bio reads, "...if I pissed off a libtard today, I'm happy!! no further reply!!"
The last post made by this account reposted a campaign video from Scott, accompanied with the message: "DO NOT vote for this person, he voted FOR a mosque."
Detectives traced the IP address of the account that made the post to Mienert, who later confirmed the account was his.
A headshot photo for Brian Scott, a Pinellas County Commissioner. Last month, Scott voted in favor of a proposal that would allow a local mosque to expand. (Photography provided courtesy of Pinellas County Communications Department)
Mienert told detectives he is "very vocal and not afraid to share his opinion" on political issues and said he called Scott a "turncoat" because of his vote to approve the mosque expansion.
Mienert also told detectives he had attended an Oct. 27 County Commission meeting where residents discussed the mosque issue at length.
During that meeting, he said he escaped New York to "beautiful Florida" and claimed the growing footprint of the mosque would damage the environment and make traffic worse.
Rodolfo Mienert is seen speaking during a Pinellas County Commission meeting on Oct. 27, 2026, days before he was arrested. Mienert, along with many others, criticized the commission's decision to approve the mosque expansion. (Pinellas County Commission)
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Mienert was arrested and charged with one felony count of a written or electronic threat to kill, an offense that carries a maximum of 15 years in prison in Florida.
In a statement, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said that "threatening to cut off the head of a county commissioner because of his vote on a land issue is intolerable and we will strictly enforce the law against anyone who makes threats of this nature."
Mienert, who retired as a sergeant after 22 years with the New York Police Department, remains in the Pinellas County Jail, according to records reviewed by Fox News Digital. He is set to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.
James Cirrone is a writer on the Breaking/Trending News team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to james.cirrone@fox.com.
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