MIRAMAR, Fla. – A longtime civilian employee with Miramar Fire Rescue was arrested Wednesday morning, authorities confirmed.
Authorities said that Julio Roman, 56, a logistics technician who has been with the department for nearly a decade, was taken into custody just after 8 a.m. at his home.
Authorities said that Roman is facing charges that include transmitting materials harmful to minors, soliciting a minor and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
The investigation began when an out-of-state jurisdiction alerted the Miramar Police Department about alleged criminal activity involving Roman, according to detectives.
Miramar city officials confirmed that Roman is accused of “engaging in lewd communications, including exchanging explicit photos, with someone believed to be a minor.”
Authorities confirmed that Roman’s arrest was carried out by Miramar police with assistance from the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said the case is being handled by the Miramar Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division and BSO’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
“In light of this morning’s arrest, we immediately placed Mr. Roman on paid administrative leave until the completion and outcome of the investigation,” said Tara Smith, public information officer for MFR.
Additionally, Miramar Fire Rescue sent Local 10 News the following statement:
The Miramar Fire Rescue Department has been informed of the arrest of one of its civilian employees, Logistics Technician Julio Roman, by the Miramar Police Department with assistance from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.
The Miramar Fire Rescue Department takes these allegations seriously and we are committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and transparency. We will be fully cooperating with all applicable agencies.
To maintain the integrity of the investigation, we are unable to provide additional details at this time; however, immediate steps have been taken to address this matter, including placing the employee on administrative leave. We are actively pursuing the termination of Mr. Roman pending the outcome of the investigation.
We remain committed to serving the public with professionalism and will continue to focus on delivering our services effectively to the highest standards.
Miramar Fire Rescue
As a logistics technician, authorities confirmed that Roman’s duties primarily involved working with vendors to procure equipment for the fire department.
Prosecutors expressed grave concern for the safety of minors in the community, citing several messages Roman allegedly sent that suggest this may not be an isolated incident.
“This was not limited to communication,” prosecutors said, alleging that Roman demonstrated intent to act on the discussions during interactions with an undercover agent.
Roman’s public defender argued for leniency, emphasizing his clean record and strong ties to the community. Roman has lived in Miramar for 15 years, worked in state employment for a decade, and has resided in Florida for over 30 years.
The judge set bond at $25,000 per charge, totaling $75,000.
If Roman posts bond, he will be placed under Level 2 GPS monitoring as part of his pretrial supervision. Additionally, the judge ordered Roman to have no contact with minors and prohibited him from using any device with internet access.
Authorities have not released further details about the messages or the undercover investigation.
