2 arrested after Backpage ad leads to armed robbery at motel, police say

Police seek 1 other woman

Marieddy Garcia, 41, and Alejandro Gonzalez, 19, were arrested April 22 in connection with an armed robbery in Miami.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Two people were arrested Saturday after an online ad for sex turned into an armed robbery, authorities said.

According to an arrest report, the victim made arrangements through Backpage.com to have sex with a woman named "Brooke" on Saturday at Burke's Motel at 4445 SW Eighth St in Coral Gables.

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Police said the victim was closing the door after letting Brooke inside when another woman, Marieddy Garcia, 41, began banging on the door and said she was a friend of Brooke's.

The victim allowed Garcia into the motel room, and both women told him that he needed to pay them for sex, the report said.

The man told the women that "this was not the deal" and that "it was supposed to be a consensual encounter."

Police said the women became enraged after the man told them that he would not pay for sex, and Brooke pulled out a knife from her bag and told the victim, "This is a robbery."

Police said Brooke told the victim not to scream or she would kill him.

Garcia ordered the victim to turn around, and she began to tape his wrists together as Brooke searched the victim and removed his property, police said.

Authorities said the man struck Brooke with his elbow, knocking the knife out of her hand.

He picked up the knife and the women ran out of the motel room, screaming for help, the report said.

Police said the women flagged down Alejandro Gonzalez, 19, who was waiting in the parking lot in a Toyota Corolla.

Police said the trio returned to the motel after they realized that the victim had Garcia's cellphone.

Brooke and Gonzalez got out of the car and demanded the phone back, and Brooke implied that she had a gun under her shirt, police said.

A witness heard the commotion and came outside to find the victim pleading with Brooke not to shoot him, the report said.

Police said the trio drove away.

Authorities said Garcia and Gonzalez returned to the scene as police arrived and were taken into custody.

They both face armed robbery charges. Garcia also faces a charge of attempted kidnapping and Gonzalez faces a charge of tampering with physical evidence.

Police are still searching for the other woman.

Anyone with information about her identity or whereabouts is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

 


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.