Two men operated fake rideshare services to rob ‘inebriated individuals’ in Miami Beach: cops
Two men were arrested Thursday and accused of posing as rideshare drivers to commit multiple robberies, some even at gunpoint, in Miami Beach, police said.
Their arrests follow accusations of two men operating a fake rideshare service in Miami to kidnap, rape and rob women, Miami police said.
In the Miami Beach case, the Miami Beach Police Department launched an investigation after receiving several reports of similar incidents.
Beach Police say Fevry Gentillon, 43, and Kerbert Jean,56, worked together to repeatedly rob “inebriated individuals within Miami Beach’s Entertainment District,” according to their arrest reports.
In July, one victim told police he had been out drinking at Twist Nightclub, 1057 Washington Ave., with friends when his memory became “fuzzy” and he ended up in the back of a car that he believed was an Uber taking him home, according to Gentillon’s arrest report.
He eventually fell asleep and when he woke up again he realized his cell phone, Louis Vuitton wallet with several credit cards were missing, the report said. After police reviewed surveillance footage, they saw the victim entering a gray Toyota Camry registered to Gentillon.
In September, another victim told police that while out on Ocean Drive and intoxicated, he was picked up by Gentillon posing as a ride-share driver. After driving a few blocks, Gentillon pointed a firearm at him and demanded his wallet.
The victim complied and fled on foot, while video surveillance later captured Gentillon withdrawing $1,000 from the victim’s bank account using his stolen debit card, authorities said.
“We regard incidents of this nature with utmost seriousness and are committed to diligently pursuing accountability for those responsible,” said Chief Wayne Jones in a statement. “Our primary focus is to ensure the safety of Miami Beach.”
Both men face a wide range of charges, including armed robbery with a firearm, strong-arm robbery, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, organized scheme to defraud, identity theft, unlawful possession of a credit or debit card, fraudulent use of a credit card and grand theft in the third degree.
As of Friday morning, Gentillon was being held at the Turner Guilford Correction Center on a $17,500 bond, according to jail records. Information on Jean was not immediately available.
More fake rideshare drivers
The Miami Beach arrests come after two men, Danny Estalin Maurad-Avecilla, 49, and Yadir Alejandro Gongora, 39, were accused of operating a fake rideshare service in Miami, targeting intoxicated women leaving nightclubs to kidnap, rape, and rob them, according to Miami police.
Gongora was arrested in October; Maurad-Avecilla has been in jail since February and more charges were added in October. Both men are in jail on multiple charges, including kidnapping and sexual battery.
READ MORE: Two men operated fake rideshare services to kidnap, rob and rape women in Miami: cops
The investigation began after a woman from California reported waking up bruised and in pain in a Little Havana motel, with unauthorized charges on her credit card after getting into what she thought was an Uber, she told police. She also said she was robbed of $200 in cash, Miami police say.
Several other women have come forward with similar experiences, and DNA evidence linked Gongora to one of the assaults.