The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A Florida woman was accused of stealing a nearly $100,000 Rolex from a man she met at a casino after allegedly drugging him at his home.
According to a probable cause affidavit, investigators linked the suspect to four other Dade County cases involving a similar pattern. Those investigations involved men who allegedly met her at bars or nightclubs while wearing expensive watches, took her to a home or hotel, and later woke up feeling drugged before discovering their watches were missing.
One of the victims tested positive for a prescription sleep medication called zolpidem, and investigators said its effects were similar to what the current alleged victim told them he experienced.
The latest incident began around midnight on April 12, when the alleged victim met the suspect at a club inside Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach. They exchanged Instagram accounts, and about an hour later, the alleged victim ordered an Uber to pick up the woman and bring her to his home.
The alleged victim told investigators he started feeling strange after leaving the suspect alone in the living room while he changed clothes. He heard a clapping sound, then returned to find the suspect acting differently and saying she planned to leave.
After she left, the alleged victim became increasingly tired and confused and fell asleep within minutes. When he woke several hours later, he still felt unusual. He said he drank alcohol while the woman was there, but not enough to cause him to pass out. He believed he had been drugged and checked the Rolex box in the living room. The watch, which the signed appraisal valued at $98,400, was no longer there. He surmised the sound he heard earlier was the Rolex box closing.
He did not go for medical testing, but said he felt off for more than a day. He later identified the suspect in a six-person photo lineup. According to reports, she was charged with second-degree grand theft.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.