MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A 50-year-old man was arrested Thursday, months after he allegedly raped a woman who has a mental disability, authorities said.
According to his arrest report, the victim was walking to a bus stop on Northwest 27th Avenue and 169th Terrace on May 27 when a car pulled up to her and a man, later identified as Francis Fernandez, got out and forced the victim into the car.
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Police said Fernandez, who is from Miami Beach, parked the car at an unknown warehouse area in Miami Gardens.
The victim told police she thought she was going to be robbed, so she took off her jewelry.
According to the arrest report, Fernandez instead pulled the victim onto the back seat and told her to take off her clothes or he would kill her.
Police said Fernandez raped the woman and then drove off with the woman’s jewelry still inside the car.
The victim walked to a nearby Dunkin’ and called the police.
She was taken to the Roxcy Bolton Rape Treatment Center in Miami, where an examination was conducted and a sexual assault kit was completed.
Fernandez was identified as the suspect after the sexual assault kit was submitted to the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Forensic Services Bureau for analysis.
Police said he was arrested Thursday at his home and transported to the Miami Gardens Police Department.
Authorities said Fernandez told detectives that he did not recall meeting someone at the bus stop in May and denied having sexual intercourse with anyone for the past two years.
He faces charges of kidnapping and sexual battery, and is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.