A second arrest has been made in connection with the sex trafficking of a teenage girl by a licensed mental health counselor at a Miami hotel, police said.
Miami-Dade Police Department officials announced Wednesday that Jason Mojica, 46, is facing charges of sexual assault, indecent assault and interference with custody.
Another suspect, 45-year-old Maria Ximena Duarte, was arrested Sunday on charges of human trafficking, indecent assault and interference with custody in the case.
Miami-Dade Corrections Maria Ximena Duarte, Jason Mojica
Police said Duarte, a licensed mental health counselor, met the 15-year-old victim while she was walking her dog in the pool area of the Aloft Miami Dadeland hotel on August 13.
Police say Duarte claimed to be a psychologist and gained the girl's trust and befriended her, leading her to confide in him personal problems.
Duarte allegedly offered the boy marijuana and alcoholic beverages, and the boy accepted the marijuana but declined the alcohol, according to the police report.
Police said the boy returned to the hotel multiple times that day and the next and visited Duarte in his room, where he was offered more marijuana.
According to the arrest report, Duarte began taking photos of the girl and sending them to a man named Pablo. Duarte told her she was 21 and was willing to have sex with him, even though he knew she was only 15. However, the girl said she did not want to have a sexual relationship with anyone.
Police said Pablo arrived at the hotel room and engaged in sexual acts with Duarte in front of the boy, who then gave him his cell phone to record the encounter and claimed he was teaching him, the report said.
Police said Duarte's boyfriend, who identified himself as Mojica, then entered the hotel room and ordered Duarte to have sex with Mojica, then left the two in the room despite Duarte expressing discomfort with the situation.
Police said Duarte pushed the 15-year-old girl back into the room and told her to “please Jason.”
The girl told police she went into the bathroom and when she came out, Mojica got naked and asked her to have sex with him.
When she refused, she alleged Mojica grabbed her around the back of her head and neck and tried to force her to perform oral sex, the report said.
According to the police report, the girl learned that Duarte frequently traded drugs for sex to satisfy his drug addiction.
According to reports, detectives responded to the hotel on Sunday and made contact with Duarte in an unrelated matter, after which she was arrested and taken to jail.
Duarte appeared in court Monday, where he was appointed a public defender and ordered held without bail.
Duarte became emotional during the hearing.
“I'm a psychologist, I have a PhD. I stand to lose my license and my life. I need help. I never even laid a hand on that girl,” she said.
“The facts that are set out here are awful facts,” Judge Mindy Glaser said as she held up the arrest report, “You're panicking, but there's nothing wrong with the facts that are set out here. This is pretty awful. This is just reasonable cause, this is not a trial.”
Mojica was held in jail awaiting a court appearance.
