Cape Coral officer resigned before arrest in rescue horse resale scheme

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)—A former Cape Coral police officer is charged with grand theft, accused of adopting rescue horses under false pretenses and trying to resell them for thousands of dollars.

Eddy Ferreiro contacted the Horse Protection Association of Florida about adopting a 6-year-old thoroughbred named Fish. He identified himself as a Cape Coral police officer and said the horse would be a birthday present for his daughter.

"We did decorate Fish in pink ribbons because we were told by Officer Ferreiro that pink was his daughter's favorite color," said Christine Sereni-Massinger, executive director of the Horse Protection Association of Florida. "The daughter on her birthday wasn't present when the horse was delivered. That was a little odd to us."

Fish had once been starved, then rescued and rehabilitated by the organization. Investigators say before the horse ever arrived, Ferreiro was already trying to sell him for $6,000. He had signed an agreement saying the rescue retained ownership and Fish could not be sold.

"The reaction was a sense of betrayal because we trusted him because he was a police officer," Sereni-Massinger said.

Ferreiro brought Fish to Ram Stables in Cape Coral. Lori Beach-Cotto, who owns the stable, said she thought Fish belonged to Ferreiro's brother.

"That horse was Fish, and it supposedly came from Miami, from his brother's property, and we were trying to find somebody to buy it," Beach-Cotto said.

Beach-Cotto was helping find someone to buy Fish when a potential buyer recognized the horse.

"She showed me the ad, and I immediately contacted the rescue, and said, 'I think I have one of your horses here trying to be sold,'" Beach-Cotto said.

That call helped get Fish back to the rescue and uncovered what investigators say went beyond just one horse. The affidavit says Ferreiro adopted another horse named Charlie and also tried to get a third, using Facebook aliases while contacting rescue organizations.

Cape Coral police opened an investigation when they learned about the allegations.

"They took this investigation very seriously. They acted quickly," Sereni-Massinger said. "They did a thorough investigation, and even though we have what appears to be one rotten apple, does not mean the entire department is rotten. In fact, our dealings with the Cape Coral Police Department have been very good, and they have taken this extremely seriously."

Both horses have found safe homes. Beach-Cotto purchased Charlie, who is now part of a lesson program at her stable.

"Fish is well. He's doing great, and he's in the arms of a person who truly loves him," Sereni-Massinger said.

Ferreiro resigned instead of being terminated before his arrest on Sept. 1.