No Bond For Man Who Allegedly Tried To Lure High Schoolers Into Prostitution
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A man arrested for allegedly trying to lure two high school girls into prostitution, will remain behind bars.
On Wednesday, a judge ordered David Llama Lopez, 46, to be held on no bond.
Llama was taken into custody by SWAT teams at a North Miami condominium on Tuesday, April 22nd.
According to his arrest report, the investigation began April 15th after a concerned parent of a Miami-Dade County senior high school student called Miami-Dade Schools Police and reported that her 16-year old daughter was being recruited to prostitute by a group of commercial sex traffickers.
Lopez was allegedly directly involved in the recruitment by allegedly trying to recruit a 16 and a 17-year old girl.
The report states he allegedly convinced the 17-year old he was the owner of an escort company in which girls would engage in prostitution.
He allegedly asked the 17-year old to recruit more female students from the high school for his business, according to the report. He also allegedly engaged in sexual activity with her.
In one incident which took place on April 20th, according to the report, the 17-year old girl's grandmother allegedly spoke to Lopez on the phone and told him she was a minor demanded that he return her home.
After that incident, the Lopez allegedly kept talking to the 17-year old, allegedly pushing her to convince a 16-year old to work with them in the prostitution escort business, according to the report.
He also allegedly solicited sex from the 16-year old girl.
On April 22, officers tried to make contact with Lopez but he barricaded himself inside his apartment leading to a 10-hour SWAT standoff. Officers from the Miami and North Miami police departments descended on the Dome condo building at 2100 San Souci Boulevard.
Neighbors said Lopez was living in a 15th floor unit with his brother and seemed like a normal guy. Most never imagined he would be accused of exploiting girls.
"Was a very nice friendly guy, would always say hi to my dogs and he actually invited me over a few times to come hang out," said neighbor Natalie Garson. "I was astonished, very in shock when the police were taking him down."
The property manager of the building said a few dozen residents were temporarily evacuated from their homes as a safety precaution while SWAT teams worked to take Lopez in to custody. Police were concerned Lopez could have been armed. He reportedly barricaded himself inside the apartment and would not come out for several hours but eventually surrendered peacefully.
"Advised us to evacuate everyone on 15th floor," said David Clattenburg, the property manager. "They tried to talk him out most of the evening, he would not open the door... Police stood guard outside until they had the warrant to force entry which they didn't have to do."
Lopez is facing several charges including human trafficking, procuring a person(s) under 18 years for prostitution and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
"Those who think they can make a living by selling our children to the highest bidders had better think again. Our community is united with our police departments to end this awful, awful trade," said Miami- Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle in a statement.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office said this human trafficking investigation was not related to another one earlier this year in which a 13-year was forced into prostitution and work as a dancer at Club Madonna on Miami Beach. Four people have been charged with human trafficking in that case. They've all pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they face life in prison.
