Miami Mayor's Former Aide Faces Sex Charges Involving Minor

MIAMI, FL — A former aide to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is facing sex charges after being accused by a 43-year-old woman from Miami Lakes of inappropriately touching a boy at city hall and sending a lewd photograph of himself to the victim.

Communications Director Rene Pedrosa was taken into custody Friday. Court documents said Pedrosa grabbed the boy's buttocks and kissed him on the lips during a city hall meeting in November.

"If there are other victims, we certainly encourage them to come forward," Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina told reporters Friday. "I know that right now the focus is on the defendant, but I would like to remind everyone that the focus should really be on the victim, the family of the victim that displayed an incredible amount of courage to come forward and report this crime."

Pedrosa was charged with promoting sexual performance of a child, pornography computer, electronic transmission harmful to minors in state and battery.

In a statement, the mayor said he spoke to the boy's mother.

"The residents of Miami deserve the highest standards from municipal employees," Suarez said. "My thoughts are with the reported victim and the family, and we expect the legal process to take its course."

The victim told police he met Pedrosa on Instagram and later accepted an invitation to visit Pedrosa at City Hall regarding a web design project.

"On Nov. 21, 2019, the victim met the defendant at his workplace for an interview," according to court documents. "During the interview, the defendant took the victim to a conference room to discuss a web page design."

At one point during the visit, "the defendant then grabbed the victim's hand and placed it on the defendant's erect penis."

Court documents said police discovered several text messages between Pedrosa and the boy. "I'm dying to sleep with you. I'm home by myself. You can come over," one of the texts read.

The documents said the victim texted back at one point: "Rene, I can't do that. Also knowing I'm a minor, just made me even worse, so yeah."

In an interview with WTVJ-TV, Suarez said he placed Pedrosa on suspension about a week ago when he first learned of the investigation and subsequently asked for the aide's resignation after meeting with him. He said none of the electronic devices taken by police belonged to the city.

A copy of the police report described the boy as an acquaintance of Pedrosa and said the case was turned over to the Special Victims Unit of the Miami Police Department.

"The victim and the person reporting came to the station and reported that the suspect solicited a (WORD REDACTED) picture from the victim," the police report said. "The suspect also sent a penis picture to the victim."