DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A now-former Miami-Dade deputy was arrested Thursday after allegedly traveling to Delray Beach to meet what he thought was a 15-year-old for sexual activity.
Deputies with the Delray Beach Police Department say they were called to IPIC Theaters on Thursday night after receiving a tip that a man, later identified as 36-year-old Miami-Dade deputy Christopher Diaz, was attempting to meet a minor for sexual purposes. When they arrived, they detained Diaz and secured his handgun.
According to the criminal probable cause affidavit, the victim was working with a group called “561 Predator Catchers,” and told officers that Diaz ignored repeated warnings about her age and engaged in sexual messages through dating apps, iMessage, and FaceTime.
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When they met in person, the victim told police that Diaz touched her chest over her clothing despite her repeatedly saying “no.”
The group conducting the sting confronted Diaz and recorded the entire incident on video.
The former deputy was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail for a count of battery and is being held without bond.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office confirmed Diaz was employed as a deputy at the time but was immediately terminated following his arrest.
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Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz released a statement condemning Diaz’s behaviour: