MIAMI – Devann “Drama” Yao introduced himself to over 13,300 Instagram followers as an “energetic-caring promoter” with “access to the best venues.” The caption for one of his many photos surrounded by young women: “Let’s party together.”
Detectives suspect Yao is a potential serial rapist. According to Detective Pablo Gonzalez’s request for an arrest warrant, a woman reported connecting with him on the BLK dating app on Jan. 2 before he sent her an Uber and took her for drinks at the Catalina Hotel, Mau Miami, and Vendome.
Recommended Videos
The woman told police she had too much to drink and fell asleep before Yao raped her at his apartment near Collins Avenue and 20th Street.
“She was frozen in fear while it was occurring.” Gonzalez wrote. “The victim then got up from the bed and went to his bathroom and cried.”
Records show the Miami Beach victim reported the rape on Jan. 3 and completed a rape kit on Jan. 5, at the Roxcy Bolton Rape Treatment Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital — while Yao was out on bond for another alleged rape.
Records show Miami police officers had arrested Yao on Dec. 4, and corrections released him after a judge set his bond at $10,000. Miami-Dade County prosecutors filed the Miami Police Department’s case for sexual battery of a physically helpless victim case on Dec. 5.
Records show Miami-Dade Police Department’s forensics investigators later matched DNA evidence in the Miami Beach case to Yao. Prosecutors filed the Miami Beach Police Department’s case for sexual battery of a physically helpless victim on July 30.
After the investigations involving the Miami, Miami-Dade, and Miami Beach departments, a Miami-Dade judge issued a warrant for Yao’s arrest also on July 30.
Yao’s last post on Instagram Thursday: “I’m without a phone for 36 hours. Until Friday late afternoon or Saturday morning.”
According to an arrest report, Yao surrendered at the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Midwest District Station on Thursday afternoon.
On Friday afternoon, both sexual battery cases were pending in Miami-Dade court, and correctional officers held Yao without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Judges ordered him to stay away from the victims.
Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Cristina Miranda was presiding over the Miami case. His next hearing with Miranda is set for 9:30 a.m., on Oct. 21.
Circuit Judge Carlos Lopez is set to preside over the Miami Beach case.
Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.