Watch CBS News

Police: Suspect Posed As Photographer And Lured Victims

MIAMI (CBS4) -- Police arrested a man they said posed as a photographer and lured women, promising photo shoots, only to sexually assault at least two of them.

Miami-Dade Police took Anthony Molina-Iglesias, 30, into custody Tuesday morning in Doral. Police said the know of three victims, but only two of the women were sexually assaulted.

The first assault took place in February.  A 20-year-old woman told investigators she met Molina-Iglesias through a friend. She claimed Molina-Iglesias introduced himself as a photographer and offered to take free modeling pictures of her.

But instead of taking pictures, the woman said Molina-Iglesias drove her to a wooded area near Northwest 127th Avenue and 17th Street in Miami and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint.

Police said Molina-Iglesias met two additional women on Craigslist also posing as a photographer.

One of the victims is 23-years-old and the other is 20-years-old.

According to the arrest affidavit, Molina-Iglesias had the women drive to Miami from Orlando for what they thought was a modeling shoot.

On June 28, while in Miami, police said Molina-Iglesias got into the women's car and directed the 23-year-old woman to drive to Northwest 129th Avenue and Northwest 13th Street in unincorporated Miami-Dade County where the women assumed he would be taking pictures of them.

Molina-Iglesias then led the 23-year-old woman to a wooded area while the other woman changed clothes in the car, according to police.

Once in the wooded area, police said the suspect put the woman into a choke hold and she fell to the ground. Then Molina-Iglesias allegedly tied the woman's wrists and removed her clothing.

The 23-year-old victim told police Molina-Iglesias sexually assaulted her.

Following the assault, police said Molina-Iglesias approached the 20-year-old and led her to the same wooded area forcing her to cross her arms over her chest.

The woman claims he also choked her and tied her up, but she was not sexually assaulted. Both women were left at the scene of the crime, according to police.

Molina-Iglesias then drove away in the victims' car, according to police.

He was arrested at a Wal-Mart in Doral on Northwest 87th Avenue and positively identified by all of the victims.

Molina-Iglesias is charged with one count of armed sexual battery for the February crime.

"They charged him. I know that. But I don't know if he did it or not," said Molina-Iglesias' uncle Jose Iglesias.  "It's just shocking to us. IF he did it."

As for the assault in June, he is charged with two counts of kidnapping, one count of carjacking and one count of sexual battery.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.