Man accused of raping FMU student called her over a dozen times while in jail: cops
Months after a man was jailed for allegedly raping a Florida Memorial University student, he called her over two dozen times while incarcerated — explicitly against a judge’s orders, authorities say.
Steven Devon Mason Rivers, 31, is facing a new charge of harassing a victim, in addition to the charges already against him for the alleged rape, strong-arm robbery and sexual battery.
About four months after she was raped, an arrest report read, Rivers called her from Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center 26 times over the span of about three weeks:
- May 24: Five calls
- May 27: Two calls
- June 1: Three calls
- June 3: Two calls
- June 5: Two calls
- June 13: Twelve calls
She decided to pick up and record one of the calls, the report read.
She answered, “Hello, who is this?”
Rivers responded, “We need to talk. Why aren’t you answering the phone? You see I’ve been calling you. This is Steven.”
She hung up. The student first alerted police on the first day she received the calls, and authorities followed up weeks later.
She told them she was scared for her life and thought he might be released from jail soon.
“She stated that hearing [Rivers’] voice is now giving her flashbacks of the crime that was committed against her,” a Miami Gardens police officer wrote.
When Rivers was first given his bond for the sexual battery case, a Miami-Dade County judge ordered him to stay away from and have no contact with the student and Florida Memorial University.
During the morning of Jan. 25, the student had left her dorm and was walking to meet friends at the front of gate of Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens, 15800 NW 42nd Ave, his arrest report read. Sometime before, Rivers jumped over a wall to get onto the campus.
READ MORE: Man arrested for allegedly raping Florida Memorial University student
They crossed paths when she saw him standing at a bus stop, and he whistled at her. She ignored him and walked on. A short time later, she noticed Rivers following her as she passed by a basketball court on campus.
He asked to use her phone, and when she refused he tried to grab it, tossed her bookbag on the floor and pushed her against a wall. He then raped her, the report read.
This isn’t the first time police have slammed Rivers with more charges stemming from the rape case. While he was being taken to jail for the original offense, he “aggressively reached out” and tried to grab a Miami Gardens police detective’s buttocks before another officer stopped him.
Rivers replied, “Good catch, but I don’t give a f---,” an affidavit read.
READ MORE: FMU rape suspect assaults cop, police say
The failed grope was answered with additional charges of attempted sexual battery, battery of a police officer and two counts of resisting an officer without violence.
Rivers was given a bond of over $500,000 for the six charges. He remains in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
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