Opa-locka Cop, Who Is City Mayor's Brother, Accused of Beating Wife and Kids for Years

An Opa-locka Police sergeant who is also the city mayor's brother was arrested on multiple charges after authorities said he spent years beating his wife and kids.

Sgt. Johane Hendrik Taylor, 36, was arrested in Miramar Tuesday on charges including aggravated child abuse, felony battery, and aggravated assault, an arrest report said.

According to the report, Taylor's wife said the physical domestic abuse began in 2014 when they got into an argument about him cheating on her.

Broward Sheriff's Office

She said in 2017, shortly after they got married, he said he didn't want to be with her anymore and wanted space, so they began sleeping in separate rooms and were unofficially divorced, but never signed legal documents, the report said.

She began speaking with other people and Taylor accused her of cheating and got physical, the report said.

In 2020, she said he dragged her out of a car, threw her on the ground and started hitting her at a church, the report said.

Last year, after she told him she didn't want to be married anymore, Taylor grabbed her and started punching her, then tried to drag her out of their home, the report said.

One of the younger children noticed she had lost consciousness and Taylor asked the child to call 911, the report said.

Paramedics responded, but the wife said Taylor told her to tell them that she fell while mopping, the report said.

"The victim complied, later stating that she always complied with what the defendant requested to keep him calm so that he would not hurt her," the report said.

She said the incident left her with at least one broken rib but she said she never sought medical attention and the injury took months to heal, the report said.

The wife said she had photos of her injuries on her phone but said Taylor took it and she doesn't know where he put it, according to the report.

"The defendant allegedly told the victim that if she called police and he lost his job, he would make sure that she paid for it," the report said.

In January, she said Taylor threatened her with his handgun, putting it to her forehead and telling her that "he should kill her right now," the report said.

He then threw her on a couch and beat her, the report said.

The woman also told police that he abuses three of her children, mostly using a belt, the report said.

The report said the abuse started when the oldest child, who is now 13, was just 3 years old.

"According to the victim, the defendant says that the children do not appreciate him or respect him," the report noted.

She said he hit them in their legs and buttocks, which left bruising, and said he hit them there to avoid teachers or anyone else noticing, the report said.

In November, one beating was so bad "the child did not go to her school for the next several days until the bruising lessened," the report said.

Taylor also "coached the children to say that no abuse takes place in the home," the report said.

Taylor was booked into the Broward County jail and remained held on $12,500 bond Wednesday, records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.

Records showed Taylor has been with the Opa-locka Police Departent for around eight years.

In a brief statement, Opa-locka Police said following his arrest, Taylor was immediately relieved of duty without pay pending the results of an investigation.

"The City of Opa-locka and its police department have a zero-tolernace policy for police misconduct," the statement read.

Taylor is the brother of Opa-locka Mayor John Taylor, the Miami Herald reported.