Miami Commissioner candidate Frank Pichel arrested for alleged firearm threat over campaign sign dispute

By ALEX BROWNING

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    MIAMI (WSVN) — A Miami Commission candidate was arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot a man after an argument ensued over campaign signs, officials said.

According to the arrest report, 61-year-old Francisco “Frank” Pichel, a candidate in next month’s race for the Commissioner District 1 seat, was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm.

The incident unfolded on Sunday outside an apartment complex at NW 35th Street and 18th Avenue. According to law enforcement, Pichel, a District One candidate and a former officer, was alleged to have been tampering with signs belonging to his opponent, Alex De La Portilla.

During the dispute, Pichel reportedly grabbed a handgun from his waistband, chambered a round, and threatened in Spanish, “I’ll shoot you, and nothing is going to happen to me because I used to be a cop.”

Pichel’s arrest added another layer of drama to a race already marked by controversy, as incumbent De La Portilla was recently suspended by the governor due to corruption charges.

Pichel has a history of legal issues, including accusations of impersonating an officer in the Florida Keys in 2021. In the early 2000s, he faced charges related to the distribution of steroids and an erectile dysfunction drug while serving as the Sergeant at Arms at City Hall.

Ultimately, he surrendered his police certification in exchange for the dropping of those charges. Now, nearly two decades later, Pichel faces legal trouble once again.

7News reached out to Pichel for comment, but he has not responded.

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