Miami-Dade police arrest boyfriend of psychologist accused of human trafficking 15-year-old

MIAMI DADE COUNTY, Florida. – Miami-Dade police announced a second arrest in a human trafficking case Wednesday, saying the arrest involved a mental health counselor and occurred at a Kendall hotel.

Jason Mojica, 46, was officially arrested on Tuesday on three felony counts while already in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on another case.

In a police report, he was identified as the boyfriend of 45-year-old psychologist Maria Ximena Duarte from North Miami.

Duarte, who was arrested on Sunday, is accused of gaining the trust of the 15-year-old victim after meeting her at the pool of the Aloft Miami Dadeland hotel and luring her to her room, while Mojica is accused of sexually abusing the teenager.

According to a police report, Duarte first met the girl last Tuesday at the pool of the Aloft Miami Dadeland hotel (7600 N. Kendall Drive) while the teenager was walking her dog.

According to police, Duarte befriended the girl and “quickly gained her trust” by saying she was a psychologist.

“The victim felt comfortable with (Duarte) and confided in her about issues from her personal life. She was told that they had shared life experiences,” the report states. “During the conversation, (she) offered the victim a marijuana cigarette to smoke (and) also purchased alcoholic beverages from the hotel bar and offered them to the victim, but the victim declined.”

Police said Duarte told the girl to “come back to her hotel room later that evening.”

Authorities said the girl met with Duarte in her room the next day and said Duarte “started taking pictures of the victim” and sent them to a man named Pablo, saying the victim was “21 years old and willing to have sex with him.”

The victim told Duarte she was not willing to do this, the report said, but police said Duarte “continued to insist.”

According to police, Pablo came into the room and Duarte had sex with him in front of the teens. The report states that Duarte made the girl record a video of Duarte and the man “while telling the victim that she was teaching her.”

The report states that at some point Mojica, whom the girl knew only as “Jason,” arrived.

According to police, Duarte left the room to leave the girl alone with Mojica. She said she told Duarte she felt “uncomfortable” being alone with him.

At one point, police said, the victim heard Duarte tell her boyfriend, “She's 15, can you believe that?”

The report says Duarte pushed the girl back inside, “told her to stay and make sure Jason was okay,” and then closed the door.

The girl went to the bathroom to play on her cell phone, and when she left the bathroom “after some time,” she saw Mojica exposing himself to her and inviting her to have sex with him.

Police said after the girl refused, he forced her to perform a sexual act.

The girl said she learned that Duarte “traded sex for drugs to satisfy her drug addiction” and “continuously offered the victim marijuana to entice her to come back and participate in various activities with her at the hotel,” investigators wrote.

Authorities said the victim reported the incident the next day and police later arrested Duarte.

Duarte appeared in court on Monday on charges of human trafficking, lewd and lascivious exhibition of a child under 16, lewd and lascivious battery and breach of custody.

“I'm a psychologist. I have a doctorate. I'm going to lose my license and my life,” Duarte said in court on Monday. “I need help. I didn't even touch or kiss that girl.”

Police said they would identify the homeless Mojica using “investigative methods” and that the victim would identify him as the suspect using a photograph.

In addition to a number of pre-existing charges in other cases, he is charged with sexual abuse of a victim between the ages of 12 and 17, lewd and lascivious assault and obstructing custody.

He has been held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center since Wednesday. Duarte was also held at the TGK, but without bail.

Authorities have not yet said whether they have identified “Pablo” or whether charges will be brought against him.