MIAMI – A man became “upset” after finding out the girl he had a sexual experience with was trans, so he and another gentleman held her at gunpoint at a Miami guesthouse and demanded payment from her friends and family, according to authorities.
Officers arrested Joshua Debarge Lucas, 34, of Opa-locka, on Friday.
According to a Miami police arrest report, the armed robbery happened on Jan. 14 at the Saturn Motel, located at 6995 Biscayne Blvd. in the town’s MiMo District.
Authorities said the victim, a trans woman who “suffers a speech impediment and other problems”, texted a friend “visit me” just before 5:45 that night.
The friend, joined by another companion, called the victim on FaceTime and saw her in tears after she picked up.
After asking her what was wrong and if she was okay, Lucas appeared in the frame and demanded $200 or he would “hurt” her, the statement says. He told the friend that the money was for “being disrespected” by the victim, according to authorities.
When asked how he was disrespected, police said Lucas “stated that he is a (Black) Hebrew Israelite and his religion frowns upon homosexual interactions”.
During the call, Lucas said that during the sexual encounter, they were both “high” and, using a slur targeting people with mental disabilities, said, he thought the victim was “just a retarded (woman)”, the arrest report states.
Authorities said he became upset after sobering up and realizing the girl was trans.
Officials said a friend was on the telephone with Lucas and told them where to bring the money. The witnesses told police that they could see that one of the people had a weapon and screen recorded the phone call.
Authorities said the witnesses drove to the Miami police station after hanging up and officers responded to the hotel, where they located the victim, but not Lucas or the other person.
Authorities later identified Lucas and tracked him down to his Opa-locka residence Friday, the arrest document says.
The document states that Lucas admitted to being disturbed after finding out after the couple’s sexual experience that the victim was trans. He claimed, police said, that he had only asked for $20 to repay him for an Uber and that the witnesses “heard $200”.
“He denied holding the victim against their will, however, he stated that following the incident the (accomplice) told him how the incident was like a hostage situation”, the investigating officer wrote in the report.
Authorities arrested Lucas on charges of armed robbery and false imprisonment with prejudice and he was being held without bond in the Metro West Detention Center as of Monday night.
The alleged accomplice hasn’t been identified by authorities.
