MIAMI — Two men accused of illegally operating a Jet Ski rental business were arrested Monday after stranding two customers on Pace Picnic Island and demanding $1,000 from them, police said.
According to their arrest reports issued by the Miami Police Department, Christopher De La Rosa Torres, 23, and Luis Jorge Mora, 32, rented two Jet Skis to two people on Monday, receiving $290 for one hour.
Police said the duo picked up their customers from the Venetian Causeway by the rocks and took them to Pace Picnic Island on the Jet Skis.
According to the arrest reports, Torres and Mora then turned over their blue and yellow Jet Skis to their customers, but after 30 minutes, the yellow Jet Ski overturned.
The victims told police that Torres and Mora then transported them back to the island and demanded $1,000 for alleged damages to the Jet Ski.
Police said the victims told the suspects that they didn’t have $1,000, so the suspects refused to bring them back to the mainland, leaving them stranded on the island.
According to the arrest reports, the victims called police who picked them up.
Police said both suspects were located at the Watson boat ramp and Torres invoked his right to remain silent about the allegations. Police said he and Mora claimed to have business tax receipts, but were unable to provide one.
They were both arrested on charges of extortion, false imprisonment, operating a business without a local business tax receipt and entering user restricted public property/abutting water.
As of Tuesday afternoon, both were still being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, each on a $5,151 bond.
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