Florida psychologist posed as a friend to a 15yo girl, then manipulated her to lure men to a hotel and have sex with them

A Miami psychologist has been convicted after she was accused of manipulating a 15-year-old girl into luring men to a hotel room to have sex. Maria Duarte was found guilty of crimes related to inappropriate sexual conduct with a teenager, as she allegedly encouraged the teen to engage in sex with older men, although the psychologist was cleared of human trafficking charges.

According to police, the case began in August 2024 when Duarte approached a 15-year-old girl who was walking her dog near an Aloft hotel in Miami. NBC Miami reported that prosecutors told jurors how Duarte had befriended the girl who, at the time, was dealing with significant problems at home. The teen allegedly saw the woman as someone who cared and could help her.

Prosecutor Juston Funck said the teen “felt like she wasn’t alone, that someone cared about her.” He claimed she believed that Duarte was “Somebody who was going to help her put on clothes and do her makeup and do her hair.”

Duarte allegedly used psychology to manipulate the teen

Prosecutors claimed that Duarte used the girl, who was a minor, to lure men to the hotel where she would have sex with them and encourage the young girl to have sex with the men as well. They claimed Duarte used her background in psychology to manipulate the teen into having sex with these men, one of whom was Jason Mojica, Duarte’s boyfriend.

Jurors also heard how the teen was exposed to drugs in the hotel, “The defendant used that 15-year-old girl to lure men to the hotel where they had sex and did drugs,” Funck said.

Mojica, who was Duarte’s co-defendant, pleaded guilty to having sex with the teen and also testified against Duarte in court. Another man, Hermes Mejia, also testified against the psychologist and pleaded guilty in connection with the case. As part of his plea deal, Mojica was sentenced to seven years in prison followed by probation.

Duarte denied any wrongdoing, and her defense attorney, Robert Barrar, disputed the teenager’s account. “Whatever happened at that hotel was not a result of Maria doing anything with the child, this young lady, other than giving her a shoulder to cry on,” he said.

Duarte was found to be not guilty by the jury regarding the human trafficking charge. However, they did convict her of other charges related to her conduct with the minor. This included having sex in front of the girl as well as encouraging her to have sex with other men.

Before the trial, she had been on house arrest, but following her conviction, Duarte has since been ordered back to jail to await her sentencing. She could face up to 15 years behind bars. Her professional license has also been suspended.