Source: Office of United States Attorneys
MIAMI – A federal jury convicted three South Florida men for their involvement in a murder-for-hire plot carried out in August 2019.
On May 21, Rolando Ramirez, 52, of Doral, and Rasheed “Fresh” Ali, 39, of Miami, were found guilty of solicitation of a crime of violence (interstate stalking), interstate stalking, conspiracy to use and carry a firearm, discharging a firearm in furtherance of interstate stalking, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and murder for hire. Tamrat “Shifta” Mason, 41, of Miami, together with Ramirez and Ali, was also found guilty of tampering with the investigation that resulted in their arrest in August 2024.
According to court records and evidence introduced during trial, Ramirez and the victim, a local businessman, had a contentious federal lawsuit involving various issues related to their business arrangement, including a non-competition clause. The victim won the right to continue to compete. During settlement negotiations, Ramirez told the victim, “In due time, I will kill you.”
Ali and Mason had a marijuana distributor in New York, Jaime Serrano. Serrano had an outstanding debt to Ali and Mason, which Ali told Serrano he could clear by executing a hit for his friend. Serrano testified that Ali told him the target was a former business partner, who “snitched” on his friend in court. Ali added that Ramirez considered himself “Cuban Mafia.” On August 28, 2019, Serrano, together with Julian Jimenez, carried out the near-fatal shooting of the victim.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Ramirez, Ali, and Mason tampered with the investigation to cover up their involvement or knowledge of the crime.
As part of a separate case, Jimenez pled guilty to interstate stalking, conspiracy to use a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime. A federal jury found Serrano guilty of the same charges. Jimenez and Serrano were sentenced to 35 and 50 years in prison, respectively.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 5, before U.S. District Court Judge Roy K. Altman. Ramirez and Ali face a sentence of up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated this case, with assistance from the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abbie D. Waxman and Michael Gilfarb of the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in an information are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20341.
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