Miami Beach Police Department officers arrested seven men on Thursday night after an investigation that lasted weeks resulted in two search warrants at two apartment buildings along the 700th block of Jefferson Avenue in South Beach.
“This area is known by Miami Beach residents as a troublesome area,” said Officer Ernesto Rodriguez, a spokesman for the department.
On Feb. 17, a 23-year-old victim of human trafficking that was trapped in the area called 911 to ask for help just before a severe beating.
The victim told officers she was struggling with suicidal ideations and described how she had been trapped in a cycle of abuse, prostitution, and addiction since the coronavirus pandemic began, police said.
Rodriguez said they had evidence the suspects were dangerous gang members. They were accused of dealing with crack cocaine and crystal meth and were heavily armed.
Officers identified the suspects as Jason Rivera, Luis Delgado-Hernandez, David Romero, Alberto Figueroa, Carlos Colon, Damian Herrera, and David Vega.
Delgado-Hernandez, 37, is accused of providing false information to a police officer and he is facing a charge of resisting arrest.
Vega, 37, Colon, 37, Romero, 38, Figueroa, 39, and Herrera, 48, face charges of cocaine possession. The convicted felons were also in illegal possession of a firearm.
Rivera, 38, was accused of uttering forged bills, credit card fraud, and identity fraud. Rivera, Romero, Figueroa, and Herrera were facing charges of human trafficking.