Large cache of weapons found at Miami Beach home, police say

Suspect accused of raping woman, threatening police and medical personnel

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A large cache of weapons was found Monday morning at a Miami Beach apartment after police were called to the building about a dispute between two roommates, authorities said.

Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said a woman told officers that her roommate,

Jaime Gonzalez, 38, had attacked her inside the apartment on Island Avenue and threatened to kill her and other people. 

According to an arrest report, the woman woke up Monday to Gonzalez strangling her. She told officers that Gonzalez refused to let her leave the apartment and had raped her several days ago.

Rodriguez said Gonzalez was acting strangely when officers arrived and threatened them as well.

He said Gonzalez was hospitalized under the Baker Act, and threatened medical personnel at Mount Sinai Medical Center.

As authorities were investigating the initial dispute, they came upon a cache of weapons inside the home, including six rifles, three shotguns, 11 pistols and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, Rodriguez said.

Authorities said one of the pistols had been stolen in Miami Beach and one of the shotguns had an illegal short barrel.

Rodriguez said officers also obtained search warrants for four vehicles that belong to Gonzalez.

According to the arrest report, the victim told officers that Gonzalez had been acting very erratic lately, making terrorist comments, such as that he wanted to "go on a killing spree and kill not only innocent people, but family and friends as well." 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI assisted in the investigation.

Gonzalez was taken to the county jail after being released from the hospital.

He appeared in court Tuesday, where Miami-Dade County Judge Mindy Glazer ordered that he be held in lieu of a $91,000 bond.

"He's preparing for the Armageddon with all these weapons," Glazer said. 

Gonzalez faces charges of false imprisonment, sexual battery, battery, theft and possession of a short-barrel shotgun.


 


About the Authors:

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

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.