Teenage boy accused of ‘pure evil’ to be charged as adult in Broward

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Prosecutors told a Broward County judge on Monday that they were charging Jamarius Charles as an adult

The 16-year-old boy and Corey Jones, 18, kidnapped a woman at gunpoint on Sept. 14 in Pompano Beach, according to prosecutors.

The victim said they stole her Toyota RAV4, took her $200, forced her to withdraw $400 more from an ATM, and both raped her while threatening to kill her.

“They said about a million times that they were going to kill me,” she said after their arrest. “It was torture, pure evil.”

Broward detention department records showed Jones was at the Joseph V. Conte Facility and Charles was transferred on Monday to the Paul Rein Detention Facility.

Deputies reported finding Jones driving her Toyota RAV4 on Sept. 15 in Pompano Beach, he fled and jumped out of the car, and when he was caught he had two phones — one was his and the other was her Samsung Note 9.

With his DNA, detectives identified Charles and found him at home with his mother and he confessed to his crimes before they arrested him on Sept. 16, according to deputies.

Jamarius Charles, 16, and Corey Jones, 18, were arrested in September in Broward County. (BSO)

The victim told detectives that one of the attackers recorded a video of the sexual assault, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office arrest form.

Jones worked at North Miami Senior High School, according to Detective Justin Panza’s arrest affidavit. And when he was trying to get away from deputies in Broward County, he broke into a school, according to the arrest report.

Jones is facing 10 charges: Four counts of sexual assault with a weapon, two counts of robbery, carjacking with a firearm, kidnapping for ransom, trespassing school grounds, and resisting arrest.

Charles is facing seven charges: Three counts of sexual assault with a weapon, two counts of robbery, carjacking with a firearm, and kidnapping for ransom.

Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, who presided over the Parkland school shooter’s case, was assigned the capital sex felony case against Charles, records show. Circuit Judge Michael Lynch had the capital life case against Jones.

Related court documents

Corey Jones' arrest affidavit (BSO)
Jamarius Charles transfer (.)

About the Author:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.