A Miami man is facing human trafficking and other charges after police said he paid to have sex with a 14-year-old boy he met through the LGBTQ dating app Grindr.
Miguel Angel Acevedo, 55, was arrested Tuesday on charges including human trafficking, lewd and lascivious battery, using a computer to travel to meet a minor, contributing to the delinquency of a child and interference with custody, Miami-Dade jail records showed.
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According to an arrest report, after they met on Grindr, the teen and Acevedo started speaking over the phone and text messaging, and the teen lied about his age to Acevedo, telling him he was 16.
Acevedo later agreed to pay the victim $100 for sex and picked the teen up and took him to a motel where he gave him beer and cigarettes, the report said.
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During the encounter, Acevedo showed the teen a woman's outfit and heels and asked the teen if he would wear them, and the teen agreed, the report said.
The teen put on the outfit and the two had sex in the motel room. Afterwards, they stopped at an ATM and Acevedo withdrew $80, which he handed to the teen while telling him he didn't have any more, the report said.
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Miami Police spokesman Michael Vega said investigators received a tip about the encounter and contacted the teen.
Acevedo was later found in his car, which contained the woman's outfit described by the teen, the report said.
Acevedo admitted he met the teen on Grindr and brought him to a motel but denied that any sexual activity occurred, saying that they "just talked," the report said.
He also admitted he withdrew the money but denied it was to pay for sex, the report said.
Acevedo was arrested and booked into jail. In bond court, he was appointed a public defender and ordered him held without bond.
"This is a perfect time for us as parents to talk to our kids and tell them that they cannot be on these websites, that these applications which are for adults only should be like that, only for adults," Vega said. "Don't be afraid to discipline your children if they're on these sites. take it away from them, don't let them have access to their phones, don't let them have access to their computers."
