South Miami employee jailed after sexually battering custodian in building: MDSO

A City of South Miami employee was put behind bars Monday on a charge of sexually assaulting a custodian at knifepoint inside the building where they worked, according to authorities.

Nelson Gomez, 47, has been employed with the city since 2017, a spokesperson confirmed to the Miami Herald on Tuesday afternoon. He was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after the custodian reported the attack to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

The alleged assault occurred around 10 a.m. Monday, though the exact location was redacted in Gomez’s arrest affidavit. Investigators said the custodian was cleaning a bathroom when Gomez entered carrying a knife and demanded she perform a sex act.

When she refused, detectives say, Gomez forced her against a wall and assaulted her. Afterward, he left the bathroom. The victim immediately contacted police, who later recovered a knife from the scene, according to the affidavit.

Gomez denied any physical contact with the custodian and asked to speak with an attorney before being taken into custody at a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office in Doral, the affidavit reads.

“The city is fully cooperating with law enforcement and treating this matter with the utmost seriousness,” South Miami City Manager Genaro “Chip” Iglesias said in a statement to the Herald. “We remain committed to transparency and cooperation with law enforcement to ensure a thorough outcome. We understand any community concerns and share the seriousness with which they view this matter. “

Gomez was placed on administrative leave without pay Tuesday, a city spokesperson said. Per his LinkedIn, Gomez worked as a project engineer. He remains jailed as of Tuesday afternoon on an armed sexual battery charge with no bond.