MIAMI – A 35-year-old Miami woman known to her victims as “Tata” is in trouble again, according to police.
This time, Jennifer Montenegro is not only facing robbery charges — but a count of attempted murder.
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Local 10 News first reported on Montenegro in November 2022 when the then-33-year-old was accused of joining two other men in a robbery spree in which she targeted someone who knew her as “Tata.” The strong-armed robbery case against her was later dropped, court records show.
She’s now facing legal peril again, accused of robbing two victims.
Police said the first case happened on Sept. 21.
The victim, police said, was in the 1500 block of Southwest Eighth Street in Little Havana at around 5:45 a.m., walking home from work and about to have some beers.
That’s when he saw “Tata,” authorities said. Police said he talked to her and she “asked him to wait for her in a small outside closet behind a restaurant.”
“The victim agreed and stayed in the small closet when all of a sudden an unknown male approached him with a large knife and demanded he hand over all his belongings or he would kill him,” an arrest report states “The victim complied, but the unknown male struck him several times on his face, causing him to sustain multiple contusions and a broken tooth. Additionally, he sustained a laceration to his left pointer finger from the knife.”
During the beating, Montenegro “removed the victim’s bookbag and his wallet,” police said.
Authorities said the second incident happened on Friday in the 1700 block of Southwest First Street, also in Little Havana.
Police said at around 11:30 p.m., Montenegro and an unidentified man approached the victim, who told police he’s known “Tata” for five years, both sexually and as someone connected with “unreported robberies of his bicycles.”
As the two walked up, police say the victim said, presciently, “Oh, you guys are going to rob me again?”
The arrest report states Montenegro accused the victim of being a “snitch” for reporting a previous robbery and the man told the victim, “That bike is going to be mine!”
Then a third unidentified man came from behind and stabbed him, police said.
“The victim was able to run away inside the Capri Nightclub to ask for assistance. When the victim returned, bystanders advised him that the offenders had taken his electric bicycle,” the report states. “The victim attempted to walk home until he collapsed, required medical attention, and was transported to (Jackson Memorial Hospital) where he was treated for his injuries.”
Authorities later located Montenegro Sunday in the 1300 block of Southwest Fifth Street and took her into custody.
Jail records show she was already out on bond in a drug possession case at the time of her arrest. She’s now being held without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.