Miami Police arrest man on human trafficking charge after search for missing girl
MIAMI - A 28-year-old Naples man is accused of human trafficking while Miami Police were searching for a missing girl.
Joshua Joseph Notarianni is facing three charges: human trafficking/sexual activity, prostitution proceeds, firearms possession by a convicted felon. He taken in custody at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Police said the investigation began at 3:47 a.m. Wednesday when officers responded to the 400 block of Brickell Avenue to locate a missing 15-year-old girl from Brevard County. Officers reviewed closed circuit television footage and observed a girl who resembled the missing person in question accompanied by a man, according to the arrest report.
Officers recognized the man as Notarianni and a records check revealed he had an open felony warrant from attempted robbery in Collier County in 2018.
Officers identified the unit to which the girl and Notarianni had entered, police said.
Two women, 20 and 23 years old, were contacted at the unit upon as they exited but Notarianni refused to exit, police said. An officer heard the racking of a firearm inside the unit and the women confirmed he was armed.
The two women told officers they were physically coerced into prostitution by Notariann and then kept the proceeds of the prostitution.
In addition, he kept the victims' identifications hidden in a locked room that the victims could not access, according to the police report.
After a standoff of several hours, a patrol supervisor was able to talk Notarianni into leaving the firearm on the kitchen counter and to leave the unit where he was detained. The firearm was recovered.
"The Miami Police Department remains dedicated to protecting all from crime and will work tirelessly to identify and bring offenders to justice," a police spokesman said. "If you or someone you know was a victim targeted by Notarianni, we urge you to come forward.
The State Attorney's Office human trafficking task force assisted.