Miami Psychologist Convicted Of Lewd Acts, All About How She Manipulated A 15-Yr-Old To Lure Men
Maria Duarte is facing up to 15 years in prison after she was convicted of sex-related offenses against a 15-year-old.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleA Miami psychologist named Maria Duarte was convicted of lewd acts. Maria was accused of forcing a minor to get physically involved with men and has now been found guilty. The Miami-based psychologist is now waiting for her sentencing and could be sentenced to up to 15 years behind bars.
Miami psychologist convicted after being accused of crimes involving a minor
A Miami psychologist has been convicted of crimes involving a 15-year-old girl whom prosecutors claimed she manipulated into sexual encounters with adult men. While jurors acquitted her of the most serious charge of human trafficking, Maria Duarte was convicted of lewd and lascivious exhibition and an unnatural and lascivious act.
According to reports, the Miami psychologist was convicted in a case involving allegations that she had sex in front of a 15-year-old girl and encouraged the teenager to have sex with adult men, including her own boyfriend, Jason Mojica. Two of those men, including Jason, entered guilty pleas to having sex with the minor and testified against the defendant during the trial.
The incident has left everyone shocked, as many were left livid as to what could possibly lead to a person doing something so horrifying. People have also questioned her profession, demanding how someone with a degree like hers could use the knowledge and tools that are meant to help people to cause more trauma.
What happened in the Miami psychologist case?
According to reports, prosecutors alleged that Maria Duarte first approached the minor girl in August 2024. They shared that the 15-year-old was walking her dog outside a hotel in Miami when Maria, who has a background in psychology, used her knowledge to manipulate the girl. The prosecutors claimed that what happened after has left the girl traumatized.
They also revealed that she came from a troubled home and Maria took advantage of the same. According to WTVJ, during the trial, prosecutor Justin Funck revealed that the minor felt that she wasn't alone and someone finally cared for her; hence, she listened to the Miami-based psychologist. He was quoted as saying:
"She felt like she wasn’t alone, that someone cared about her."
However, things soon took a dark turn. Prosecutors revealed that once Maria Duarte had built up trust with the minor girl, she began to take advantage of the teenager. Justin Funck told the court that the Miami psychologist used the girl to lure men to the hotel where they used illegal substances and had sexual intercourse. He was quoted as saying:
"The defendant used that 15-year-old girl to lure men to the hotel where they had sex and did drugs."
It was soon revealed that one of the men who had sex with the minor was Maria Duarte's boyfriend, Jason Mojica. According to reports, he is now serving a seven-year prison sentence. Meanwhile, the Miami psychologist's team tried to defend her, arguing that the teenager willingly engaged in relations with these men. Sentencing for Maria is now set for January 2026, and she was ordered to report to jail after spending the trial on house arrest. She was also stripped of her professional licenses.
What are your thoughts on the Miami psychologist being found guilty?
PC: NBC6, Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation
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