Miami-Dade police officer charged in sexual abuse involving 3 children; attorney says he's innocent
A Miami-Dade police officer has been charged in the sexual abuse of multiple children.
Daniel Ramos-Aviles, 40, was arrested by his own department on Monday night and has been charged with three counts of sexual battery on a minor and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under the age of 12, among other charges.
His attorney, Scott Kotler, told USA TODAY on Wednesday that Ramos-Aviles "adamantly" denies the allegations, which involve three children.
"I think it is too soon to truly state what is taking place here and so I’m hesitant to start calling anyone a liar, but I will tell you that we will be doing and conducting our own investigation to get to the bottom of this," Kotler said in an emailed statement. "One thing is certain, that is that this entire family and its members will forever have their lives changed, and nobody wins in these situations."
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What does the police department say?
Stephanie Daniels, interim director at the Miami-Dade Police Department, told USA TODAY on Wednesday that the agency would cooperate with prosecutors.
"The privilege to be a law enforcement officer means the oath we took and the badge we wear represents integrity, trust, and the honor to be the protector and peacekeepers of our community," she said in an emailed statement. "The Miami-Dade Police Department will not tolerate this behavior,"
Evidence that led to the charges was not immediately available, and the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office didn't immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Wednesday.
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What happened during Daniel Ramos-Aviles' court appearance
During a bond hearing for Ramos-Aviles on Tuesday, a prosecutor said that three victims were involved, reported multiple news outlets.
WTVJ-TV in South Florida reported that Ramos-Aviles knew the three children, the youngest of whom is 6, but that he did not meet them while on the job during his 10 years with the police department.
WPLG-TV reported that the prosecutor argued for Ramos-Aviles to continue being held in jail while his case is pending, saying that he went to the home where the children and a witness live and "retrieved an AR-15 and three handguns.”
“Everyone is deathly afraid of this individual given his line of work and his military background what he would do with these allegations," the prosecutor said.
An attorney at Ramos-Aviles' bond hearing Tuesday said the youngest child is 6 years old, according to the station.
Records show that Ramos-Aviles was being held without bond and has been ordered not to have any contact with the three children.