Miami-Dade police reported a second arrest in a human trafficking case at a Kendall hotel on Wednesday. They said the incident included a mental health counselor.
While already incarcerated at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center for an unrelated offense, 46-year-old Jason Mojica was formally arrested on three felony counts on Tuesday. He was named as North Miami psychologist Maria Ximena Duarte’s (45) boyfriend in an arrest record.
The 15-year-old victim was allegedly raped by Mojica, while Duarte, who was detained on Sunday, is accused of winning her trust by bringing her back to her room after they met at the Aloft Miami Dadeland hotel’s pool.
An arrest complaint states that Duarte initially saw the girl last Tuesday while the teen was walking her dog by the pool of the Aloft Miami Dadeland hotel, which is situated at 7600 N. Kendall Drive.
Duarte made friends with the girl, according to the police, “quickly gaining her trust” by claiming to be a psychotherapist.
As the victim got to know (Duarte), the report reads, “the victim confided in her about issues in her personal life and was told that they had shared life experiences.” In addition to buying alcoholic drinks from the hotel bar and offering them to the victim during the chat, the victim turned down the woman’s advances.
Duarte instructed the girl to “come back to her hotel room later that night,” according to the police.
The victim “was 21 years old and willing to have sex with him,” according to the authorities, and Duarte “began to take pictures of the victim” and send them to a man named Pablo. The girl and Duarte allegedly met up in her room the following day.
According to the report, the victim told Duarte she was unwilling to comply, but Duarte “continued to insist,” according to the police.
According to the police investigation, Duarte had the girl shoot footage of herself and the guy “while telling the victim that she was teaching her,” when Pablo entered the room and had sex with him in front of the teenager.
According to the allegation, Mojica—who the child knew only as “Jason”—arrived at some point.
The girl informed Duarte she was “uncomfortable” being alone with him, according to the police, and he started to exit the room in an attempt to leave her alone with Mojica.
Police claim that the victim once overheard Duarte saying to her lover, “She’s 15, can you believe that?”
Duarte “told her to stay and make Jason feel good,” according to the allegation, and then he locked the door after pushing the girl back inside.
After “some time passed,” the girl went into the toilet to play on her phone and came out to find Mojica exposing himself to her and asking her to have sex.
He had her do a sex act, according to the police, after the girl refused.
Investigators said that the girl told them that Duarte “would exchange sex for drugs to satisfy her drug addictions” and “would continuously offer the victim marijuana in order to have her return and engage in various activities while at the hotel with (her).”
The victim reported what happened the following day, according to the authorities, and Duarte was eventually taken into custody.
Read Also: Keys Human Trafficking Operation Exposed: 5 Arrested, Sheriff Says
Duarte made an appearance in court on Monday to answer to charges of engaging in human trafficking, indecent and lewd violence, and vulgar and lascivious exhibition on a minor.
“I’m a psychologist. I’m a PhD. I will lose my license and my life,” Duarte stated. “I need help. I’ve never even touched that girl, kissed her.”
Mojica is homeless, and the police said they would identify him using “investigative techniques” and that the victim would recognize him from a photo as the culprit.
He faces accusations of lewd and lascivious battery, interference with custody, and sexual battery of a victim aged 12 to 17, in addition to a plethora of previous allegations in unconnected cases.
As of Wednesday, he was housed at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Duarte was detained without bond at TGK as well. Authorities have not yet stated if they have recognized “Pablo” or if any charges will be brought against him.
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