An Aventura man has been detained after police say he secretly communicated for weeks with his ex-girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter, allegedly seeking to get her to meet him without her parents’ knowledge.
According to an Aventura Police arrest affidavit, 31-year-old Daniel Ricardo Moreno continued to communicate with the girl via phone conversations, text messages, WhatsApp video calls, Instagram direct messaging, and TikTok after his relationship with the child’s mother terminated in May.
Investigators stated the mother specifically warned Moreno not to contact her daughter and blocked his number on the child’s phone.
Police said they discovered texts in which Moreno reportedly encouraged the child to keep their chats private, offered to buy her gifts, undermined her mother’s authority, and tried to persuade her to meet him alone.
Detectives described the behavior as typical of grooming tactics.
According to the complaint, one communication received on July 3 allegedly stated, “We can sneak out and maybe meet somewhere.”
Investigators said he also claimed he intended to seek the girl’s father for permission to see her, but detectives discovered he had no relationship with the father and would not have agreed to such a meeting.
Police said he later advised her to keep erasing messages since her mother was constantly checking her phone.
During an undercover operation, detectives posed as the 11-year-old and continued to communicate with Moreno.
According to police, he told the “child” to change his contact name to that of one of her classmates so that her parents would not grow suspicious, and they eventually met in the laundry area of the Ensenada Condominiums in Aventura.
According to authorities, Moreno arrived at the scheduled meeting on July 29 intending to meet the youngster but was caught by Aventura police investigators.
He faces allegations of luring or seducing a kid, illegal use of a communications device, interference with custody, and contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child.
The judge established probable cause and imposed a $8,500 bond.
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