Two Arrested in Connection With Human Trafficking in Medley

A man and woman were arrested at the South River Suites hotel in Medley in connection with human trafficking early Thursday morning.

Medley Police arrived at the hotel at 5:34 a.m. on Thursday after a woman had allegedly been robbed at gunpoint.

According to a police report, the woman told patrol officers that one of the men who robbed her had come to her hotel room to engage in prostitution.

Further investigation by Medley detectives revealed that the woman was a possible victim of human trafficking by a couple who were hiring her out for prostitution.

According to the police report, the woman said she met Raul Jimenez Rodriguez, in the early months of 2021 while working at a cafeteria in Miami.

The woman told police that Jimenez Rodriguez said she was very pretty and could make a lot of money by prostituting herself. He told her he would set up prostitution advertisements and dates for her and take a percentage of the proceeds, the report said.

According to police, the woman said Jimenez Rodriguez and a woman named Grettel Caceres Crego would post advertisements for her online and transport her to different hotels and motels in Miami-Dade County to engage in prostitution.

The woman also said that Jimenez Rodriguez introduced her to and provided her with crystal methamphetamine and cocaine, which she is now addicted to as a result.

The woman said Jimenez Rodriguez would lace her marijuana with crystal methamphetamine, unbeknownst to her. The drugs would "alter her state of mind and reality," allowing Jimenez Rodriguez to facilitate more prostitution arrangements for her, the police report said.

The woman also told police that Jimenez Rodriguez would use a webcam to record sex acts during her prostitution dates for his personal pornography collection, which she never consented to.

According to the police report, the woman had a prostitution date scheduled for Wednesday evening at the South River Suites.

She told police that in the early morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 20, Jimenez Rodriguez and Caceres Crego transported her to The Princess Motel in Miami for a second prostitution date, which was arranged by Caceres Crego using her cell phone.

The woman said that after the second date, Jimenez Rodriguez and Caceres Crego drove her back to the South River Suites in Medley for a third prostitution date, which was also set up by Caceres Crego.

According to police, the woman went to room 361 of the South River Suites to meet with the client while Jimenez Rodriguez and Caceres Crego waited downstairs in their car.

The woman said that when the client came to the room, another subject entered and robbed her at gunpoint, taking one of her cell phones and other property. She said she then went down to the front desk of the hotel to call the police.

When police arrived, a search of Jimenez Rodriguez's vehicle revealed approximately 6.98 grams of crystal methamphetamine, four MDMA tablets and a black handgun loaded with a full magazine, the report said.

Jimenez Rodriguez and Caceres Crego were arrested and are expected to appear in bond court on Friday.