Sentenced to five years of Cuban probation for spraying pepper spray at tourists in Miami Beach to rob them

The Cuban Esther María Torres, 20 years old, was sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty to having sprayed pepper spray on tourists in hotels in Miami Beach to steal their luxury watches and other valuable items.

Torres, a resident of the Overtown neighborhood in Miami-Dade, was arrested last May, initially on two counts of first-degree robbery, after being identified as the woman captured by surveillance cameras while leaving two luxury hotels in the tourist city following the thefts.

According to police reports cited by the local press, their modus operandi involved spraying pepper spray in the victims' eyes to temporarily blind them before fleeing with their belongings.

Last Wednesday, the case was resolved with a plea deal for armed robbery, burglary, and third-degree grand theft, resulting in a sentence of five years of probation, reported media outlets.

The first incident occurred on March 26, at the Breakwater Hotel, where a foreign tourist was sprayed with pepper spray and had his Hugo Boss watch and wallet containing more than 200 dollars in cash, euros, and several credit cards stolen, according to the police.

Four days later, the second incident occurred at the iconic Fontainebleau hotel. There, the assailant used the same method: sprayed a man with gas and took a Rolex Submariner valued at $22,000 from him.

According to the police investigation, in the second case, the attack occurred after the suspect entered her room with the man.

In mid-April, following a traffic stop, the police detained the driver of a vehicle linked to one of the robberies. Torres arrived at the scene and was identified by her driver's license.

In May, the police confirmed that it was the same woman involved in the attacks on the hotels, based on the image of a flyer that authorities had distributed with the label "identification needed." She was arrested on the 15th of that month.

Images captured by a police body camera, shared by the channel Local 10 News, show the moment of the arrest. Torres was accompanied by a child—apparently her son—in the car when she was stopped. An officer asked her, “You’re not carrying weapons or anything like that, right?” and she replied, “No, no.”

After appearing before the Miami-Dade County court, a judge ordered that he remain in custody without bail; although he was granted bail at the end of the trial.

Cases involving women who attack tourists in luxury hotels to rob them using similar methods have become very common, according to the Miami police.

In May, Rachel Marie Warner, a 23-year-old woman from Las Vegas, was also arrested for using drugs to incapacitate her victims during dates and steal their valuables.

Authorities have reiterated their recommendations to visitors of the city: take extra precautions when engaging with unknown individuals, particularly in private spaces such as hotel rooms.

Frequently Asked Questions about the robbery case in Miami Beach and the use of pepper spray