HIALEAH, Fla. — A 60-year-old man wanted on multiple child sex charges barricaded himself inside a Hialeah warehouse for hours Thursday before surrendering to police, authorities confirmed.
Hialeah police said officers and SWAT units were attempting to serve Jose Luis Antigua-Martinez with an arrest warrant when he armed himself and retreated into the rear of a property near West Eighth Avenue and 81st Street.
The area around several automotive shops and the Puerquito Asado restaurant was shut down as officers surrounded the location.
Sky 10 flew over Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School, raising concern among nearby workers.
Antigua-Martinez remained barricaded for over five hours before surrendering, police said.
According to his arrest report, officers were led to the warehouse after speaking with a man who had been found with the suspect’s cellphone.
Authorities said that man told police that Antigua-Martinez had been staying in the warehouse for only a few days and had confided that he believed he was wanted for injuring someone who tried to scam him.
Detectives arrived at the warehouse early Thursday and, after identifying the suspect inside, attempted to execute the warrant.
According to his arrest warrant, Antigua-Martinez barricaded himself and at one point pointed his own handgun at his head, expressing suicidal intent.
After prolonged negotiations involving SWAT and crisis negotiators, he surrendered and was taken into custody. Police said he invoked his right to counsel and made no further statements.
Authorities said the warrant stemmed from a Nov. 26 child protection investigation.
According to the warrant, officers initially responded to a home in Hialeah after the Department of Children and Families reported that a minor, whose age was not released, had disclosed being touched while asleep at Antigua-Martinez’s apartment.
The warrant stated that the victim, who was known to him, told investigators she had secretly set up a hidden camera after repeatedly waking up with the sensation of being touched.
Police said she later reviewed the video footage and told police that it showed Antigua-Martinez touching her genitals and rubbing himself on her while she slept.
On Dec. 2, the victim, in a statement to police, detailed several months of similar incidents during overnight visits at Antigua-Martinez’s home, the warrant stated.
Police said the victim reported confronting Antigua-Martinez by text after reviewing the recording.
Investigators said he apologized in messages, telling her he would “change the way he shows love but he will never stop loving her.”
The victim stated that she then deleted the video from her cellphone, according to the warrant.
Jail records show he is facing one count each of engaging in a sexual act with a child, unlawful sexual activity with a specified minor and lewd and lascivious touching of certain minors.
As of Friday, Antigua-Martinez was being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
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