Mocobizscene- A 17-year-old girl, who had been believed to be missing for five years, was discovered and rescued from an alleged human trafficker in Miami-Dade County on Saturday morning.
In a press release, the Miami-Dade Police announced that their Human Trafficking Squad detectives successfully rescued the victim and apprehended the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Christian Manuel Carvajal. Carvajal has been charged with the crime of human trafficking.
The arrest affidavit states that during a missing persons investigation, an online ad was discovered featuring photos of the victim, who had been classified as a runaway since 2019. In an effort to rescue and ensure her safety, undercover detectives organized a meeting with the victim, agreeing to a $500 date.
When we reached the meetup spot in Doral, we noticed a young girl who seemed to match the description of the missing juvenile getting out of a white Mercedes-Benz. Carvajal, the driver of the car, was then arrested without any trouble. He was taken to MDPD headquarters, while the victim was rescued and brought to the same location as well.
At the police headquarters, detectives interviewed the victim, who explained that she had connected with Carvajal on Instagram a week prior. They had agreed that Carvajal would provide transportation to their meetup in exchange for $250. The victim also revealed that Carvajal had arranged two other dates for her, one of which would earn her $1,000, with $500 of that amount going towards Carvajal for setting it up and providing transportation. As part of their investigation, the victim willingly allowed detectives to search her phone and view her messages with Carvajal.
Carvajal informed the police, after his rights were read to him, that he had encountered the victim on Instagram a few days prior. They had been exchanging messages until Saturday when she asked him to pick her up and give her a ride. Carvajal agreed to provide the transportation for a fee of $200. His plan was to wait for her date to conclude and then drive her from Miami to Homestead.
Carvajal assumed that the girl was underage, but he failed to verify her age despite asking her once. The girl responded by stating that she was 18 years old.
Carvajal met the victim in Little Havana and drove her to the meetup location with the undercover detectives. The affidavit states that he did not contact the victim’s parents to seek permission for her to be in his custody. Further investigation revealed that he was not listed as a legal guardian.
Furthermore, as they awaited their encounter with the undercover detectives, Carvajal also presented the victim with a “marijuana smoking device,” according to the affidavit.
Carvajal also confirmed his Instagram account with the police, which matched the profile the victim had been conversing with online. He also recalled being familiar with the victim’s Instagram profile and shared this information with the detectives.
After his arrest, he was charged and taken to TGK for further processing.
Also Read:
- Suspect arrested for multiple robberies in Northwest DC
- Massive fight in Bethesda stabs 2 guys, suspect wanted
- Weapons and narcotics seized from suspected robbers in Tysons
