Two Men Charged In Gang Rape Of Woman, 19
NORTHEAST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) – Two teens have been arrested and charged after they allegedly took part in the gang rape of a woman in Miami.
It happened Tuesday around 12:30 a.m. The 19-year woman told police she was walking to her car which parked in front of a laundry mat at 279 NE 79th Street when a dark vehicle with three people inside pulled up beside her. A man with dreadlocks got out of the passenger side, pointed a gun at the woman and ordered her to get in their vehicle, according to investigators.
Once inside, the armed man put the gun away and the driver, identified as 18-year old Eric Mitchell, drove them to an apartment building at 13875 NW 22nd Avenue.
The three males took the woman to one of the apartments, inside were two other males.
According to the arrest affidavit, one of the males told the woman if she wanted to live she had to have sex with him and his "home boys."
The woman reportedly performed oral sex on Mitchell and another of the males, identified as 18-year old Hank Edwards Jr. All five of the males then took turns raping her.
The woman would later tell police that Mitchell and Edwards then drove her to another location where Edwards robbed her at gunpoint and then let her go.
The woman called police and she took them to the apartment building. In the parking lot, the woman spotted the silver Mitsubishi Galant that Mitchell had driven after the attack. A records check showed the vehicle had been reported stolen on Saturday, October 13th.
Officers got a search warrant, but before they could serve it, Mitchell and Edwards reportedly made a run for it. They didn't get very far and were taken into custody where the woman picked them out of a photographic line up.
During questioning, Mitchell and Edwards denied the woman's allegations.
Vanessa Valentin, 19, who works near the laundry mat said she wasn't surprised to hear what had happened.
"I definitely won't be out here at night and am going to have something carried with me," said Valentin.
Edwards has been charged with two counts of armed sexual battery by multiple offenders, armed kidnapping and armed robbery.
Mitchell has been charged with two counts of sexual battery by multiple offenders and armed kidnapping.
Both are currently being held without bond.
