MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — A man from out of state is facing serious charges after allegedly drugging and raping a longtime acquaintance.
The incident happened on April 2 inside an apartment in Miami Beach.
According to an arrest form, the victim told police she was out drinking and partying with 34-year-old Geron Gjata.
Per the arrest form, the victim said she had known Gjata for several years.
After hanging out and having drinks at the victim’s apartment, police said the duo visited a pair of local bars called Lost Weekend, located at 218 Española Way, and Club Deuce, located at 222 14th St.
According to authorities, while walking back to the victim’s apartment, they ran into a third person, identified as Frank David Sanders, 48.
Police said Sanders invited the pair back to his apartment, located on Lenox Ave., where Gjata’s arrest form states “the three continued to consume alcohol, in addition to consuming illegal narcotics (cocaine).”
According to police, the victim said she was eventually woken up by Sanders.
She said she was in a bed wearing no shirt and someone else’s shorts, with Gjata asleep on a couch.
According to the arrest report, she began to feel pain consistent with having sex while she attempted to locate her clothes.
After contacting police, the victim explained she felt she was drugged because she recalls Sanders mentioning ketamine, which she does not use recreationally, and said that the effects she was feeling was not consistent with cocaine, authorities said.
Police said the following day, Gjata went to Miami Beach Police Headquarters to participate in an interview, which was mostly redacted from his arrest form, though it did include that he declined to voluntarily provide a DNA sample.
Several months later, on Aug. 28, police said Sanders went to MBPD headquarters to be interviewed.
A heavily redacted arrest report stated that Sanders admitted to drinking and doing cocaine with the victim and police said he provided a voluntary DNA sample.
Based on the evidence, police said they arrested Gjata Tuesday on charges of sexual battery and sexual battery including multiple perpetrators.
Authorities said they are expecting Sanders to surrender with an attorney “at a future time,” according to Gjata’s arrest form.
Police did not say why Gjata, who has a permanent address in Chicago, Illinois, was in South Florida during the alleged incident or when he was arrested several months later.
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