Man arrested in violent Miami-Dade teen sex trafficking case: Cops

A man is facing multiple charges in connection with a disturbing teen sex trafficking case in Miami-Dade, authorities said.

Marcus Johnson, 45, was arrested Monday on charges including human trafficking, deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, attempted battery, battery, and kidnapping, Miami-Dade jail records showed.

According to an arrest report, detectives with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force met with the 17-year-old victim, who said when she was 16 she was a runaway and was approached by Johnson who took her in, giving her food and a place to stay.

The teen said she initially told Johnson she was 18 but after a couple weeks, she said they had nonconsensual sex and he started to questioning her age, and she admitted to being 16, the report said.

She said Johnson started buying her items including a phone, food and clothing in exchange for sex, and she started traveling with him after he got a job with a trucking company, going to Texas, Georgia and Nebraska, the report said.

The teen said at one point, there was an open sex trafficking case in Nebraska and police there sent her back to Florida on a plane.

Back in Florida, she said she met back up with Johnson who told her she’d have to go on sex dates, and he rented a room at the Motel 6 at 10775 Caribbean Boulevard in Cutler Bay and starting arranging the dates with unknown males, the report said.

The teen said Johnson would take care of the transactions and payments and never gave her any money, the report said.

On Jan. 21, the teen said when she refused to go on any more dates, Johnson physically beat her to the point that she tried to jump out of a vehicle, the report said.

She said he was punching her in the head and wouldn’t let her out of the car then started choking her before he eventually pushed her out of the car and fled, the report said.

An arrest warrant was issued for Johnson and he was arrested when he should up for a court hearing in an unrelated case, the report said.

Johnson was booked into jail and appeared before a Miami-Dade judge on Tuesday who appointed him a public defender and ordered him held without bond.