Title
|
Congratulations to Detective Jimmy McKee, recipient of the City of Coral Gables “Detective of the Quarter Award,” for the Fourth Quarter 2019. |
Body
[ACTION/RECOMMENDATION:
I am nominating Detective Jimmy McKee for the 2019 Detective of the Fourth Quarter Award for his noteworthy quality investigative work of the following cases listed below in the background section.
BACKGROUND:
19-234, 19-1419, 19-1979, and 19-6025- Peeping Tom incidents @ Ponce & Granada Corridor {near U Of M campus) {January 2019 to August 2019)- Police reports of "Peeping Tom" incidents were filed on 01/22/ 19, 03/15119, and 08/27/ 19, also there were multiple other related suspicious incidents involving voyeurism in the area. The subject was arrested on October 11th, 2019.
Detective McKee was assigned the first "peeping tom" of the year 2019, under case # 19-234, where the victim reported that after returning home early in the night, she observed that a male popped out from behind the bushes in front of her bedroom, the male fled the area and was not located. After reviewing the current case and researching the historical data of similar cases, Detective McKee theorized that perpetrator was a share ride transportation services driver (e.g. Uber, Lyft, etc.) or a landscapes service or construction worker in the area.
On 2125129 (19-1419)- A suspicious incident was reported by a female, stating that she noticed her exterior light sensor was activated by a male running west bound from her bedroom window, the female reporter recalled that when her exterior light sensor was activated, she could hear a female voice screaming from her neighbor's residence.
On 3/ 15,19 (19-19179)- another reported suspicious incident involving a peeping tom, where a Ring surveillance system captured a male subject looking into her neighbor's bedroom window, however, there was no one inside the bedroom. Thus, no victim to the crime. Detective McKee followed up with the reporter to developed leads into this chronic voyeurism activity.
On 08/27119 (19-6025), the victim stated that she observed a subject looking into her bedroom window while she was dressing and was able to see the face of the subject. Detective McKee evaluated the scene and noticed from outside of the victim's residence that her window was high and there were no items stacked outside her window to assist with elevating the subject to peer into the victim's bedroom window.
Based on this fact and the victim's description of the offender, Detective McKee felt that it could possibly be the subject of the other related investigations (19-000234 & 19-001979).
Detective McKee reviewed his previous cases and contacted the reporting party related to case number 19-1979 and was able to provide information on a possible subject. Additionally, the female reporter advised Detective McKee that she was the roommate of the victim related to case # 19-234, and that she had observed the subject, captured on video from their Ring camera.
Detective McKee utilized his investigative skills to think along his original constructive theory of an Uber driver as a subject, he asked the reporter of case # 19-1979, if they had anyone visit their house or contacted Uber on that night and she stated that she believed her neighbor had.
Detective McKee forged ahead with his investigation and spoke to the resident of 4941 Ponce De Leon Blvd and confirmed that they had ordered an Uber that night. The resident was also able to confirm that it was the same Uber driver looking into their residence's windows after viewing the video from the third case. She was able to provide a vehicle description and the tag from the subject via her Uber account. She also stated that she remembered the subject quite well since they had a verbal disagreement with him and did not enter his vehicle. She stated that he was quite tall, over 6 feet in height, and that he was dressed in all white. With the collected vehicle information, Detective McKee was able to identify a possible subject via the vehicle tag (GWQJ47), which the registered owner is Yoel Diaz Hernandez.
A photographic lineup was shown to the respective victims, under case 19-000234 and 19-6025, they were able to positively identify the subject, Yoel Hernandez as being the individual who was observed looking into their window. The subject was arrested and admitted to committing the act of voyeurism during the interview.
Although this was a long arduous investigative process, Detective McKee was able to effectively resolve the incidents with an arrest. It should be noted that since the arrest of this individual, there have been no similar crime reported.
19-7049- Sexual Battery investigation - 137 Miracle Mile- date of incident October 5, 2019. This case was between two employees at Panera Bread and according to the juvenile victim, when he reported to work early that morning, he was approached by a male adult employee who enticed and convinced him to enter the restroom during their shift. Once inside the restroom stall, the male adult forced the juvenile to perform a sex act.
Without hesitation, Detective McKee called the lead UPD officer on scene and reviewed the facts of the incident. Detective McKee responded to the station and initiate the investigation. The juvenile victim was apprehensive with being involved with the incident, but Detective McKee was able to convince him to cooperate with the investigation. The victim was able to positively identify the adult male perpetrator from his DHSMV photo.
During the investigation, Detective McKee continued his investigatory process to develop the profile of the subject and along with the assistance of Detective Joel Rios they followed up with the collected investigative leads. Detectives McKee and Rios went to the subject's residence to locate and arrest him, but the subject was not at his residence.
Instead of suspending his investigation for the evening, which Detective McKee could have opted to do so, since the subject was identified with a known local address; Detectives McKee and Rios continued their effort and were able to locate the subject as he was returning to his apartment from a walk in his neighborhood. Detective McKee interviewed the subject and was able to elicit a confession from the subject, admitting the illegal sexual activity act against the juvenile. Detective McKee's willingness, persistency, and determination to pursue the investigation without delay resulted with the arrest of the subject.
19-7640- Domestic Violence investigation, 1300 Block of Galiano Street, date of incident October
25th, 2019. The victim and the offender were involved in an amorous relationship for nearly four months (prior to the incident date). The victim stated that the offender had been acting angrily and displaying erratic behavior when she decided to move out of the offender's apartment on 10/22/19, without his knowledge. Although the victim was frightened as to how the offender would react, she decided to meet with him the following day to return his key. On 10125119, the victim and the offender were returning from dinner to the offender's apartment and a verbal argument ensued about her moving out from the apartment. The offender parked the vehicle at about the 1300 block of Galiano and grabbed her by the hair within the vehicle. Afterward, they pulled into the offender's apartment building rear enclosed parking area and when they exited the vehicle, the victim told the offender that she wanted to leave, but he refused to let her exit the parking area. The victim advised the offender she was leaving and began to walk thru the parking lot area towards the door of the lobby area to leave the building. The offender then violently grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into the elevator as she screamed and struggled as the offender was preventing her from leaving. The victim was then dragged against her will into the offender's apartment and thrown onto the floor.
Immediately after reviewing the video and knowing the violent behavior of the offender, and the domestic violence the victim endured the past 72 hours, Detective McKee with the assistance of Detective Cachinero attempted to contact the offender at his residence on the night of 10/29/19, Detective McKee patiently waited to see if the offender would exit his residence, which he did not. Concerned for the victim's safety and wellbeing, Detective McKee contacted the victim and was assured that she was safely secured at a residence not known to the offender.
With the offender attempting to evade capture, Detective McKee sought the offender at his place of employment on the following day (10/30/ 19). Detective McKee assessed the lay out of the office and advised Detective Cachinero to post at side door exit. While Detective McKee was at the receptionist waiting for a response from the offender, the offender exited the side door where Detective Cachinero was at; presumptively to avoid detection from the detectives. The offender was surprised by the presence of the detective and he was placed under arrest. Detective McKee's relentless pursuit resulted with the arrest of the offender.
19-7944- - Child Abuse case-601 San Lorenzo, The incident was reported to the police department on 11/06/19. The offender in this case is a family relative of the toddler's father. The toddler is the victim (16 months old).
The father noticed that his toddler daughter has some suspicious bruises on the week prior to filing the police report and installed a surveillance camera system within his private residence. Between 11/04/19 and 11105/ 19, the surveillance footage depicts the offender striking the toddler numerous times with full force and the toddler can be heard crying in pain. Furthermore, another footage depicts the offender forcefully threw the child into playpen. After reviewing the surveillance footage, the father confronted his cousin (offender) of the wrongdoing. When the offender was informed of the surveillance footage, she admitted to abusing the toddler out of frustration because she does not stop crying and was not going to sleep. The father dismissed and barred the offender from returning to his residence.
On 11/06/ 19, Detective McKee responded to the residence to investigate the case. The father had very limited information on the offender (Mexican National, she was on a visa) since she was banned from his residence, her whereabouts locally was not known. Detective McKee proceeds with his investigation and discovered that she was scheduled to return to Mexico on a flight later in the week. He called Detective Cardenas to assist with investigation and requested that he contacts his investigative resources to confirm her flight itinerary and placed an alert the specific scheduled flight with the offender's reserved airline.
Detective McKee created an operational plan to apprehend the offender at the airport. The offender was able to amend her departure from the US to Mexico with purchasing a new ticket at the airport on an earlier flight and on a different airline. Therefore, the offender was able to depart the US on the morning of 11/07/19 at 7 AM, with the newly purchased ticket and undetected, since the alert system notification was for the offender's original flight. Detective McKee was not deterred by this unexpected situation, he along with Detective Cardenas sought alternate assistance with the US Marshals, who was able to contact their law enforcement counterpart in Mexico to assist with locating the offender. They located the offender in an airport in Mexico City, the Mexican authorities were able to detain the offender for two hours, without a warrant. Detective McKee attempted to petition for an arrest Warrant in an expeditious manner but was unsuccessful due to time constraints. The Mexican law enforcement authority and the offender's family attorney suggested that she return and surrenders to the US authority to resolve the child abuse charges. The offender did not heed the advice of the Mexican authorities or the family attorney.
Detective McKee was successful with petitioning for the arrest warrant. The warrant was approved and forwarded to the ASA that specializes with an extradition warrant. The extradition would be a prolonged process because of the treaty between the US and Mexico. Meanwhile, the offender's name remains on the alert list for entry into the US and she has an active warrant for her arrest, for 3 counts of child abuse. Although Detective McKee was not able to physically arrest the offender, he should be recognized and commended for his exceptional investigative effort, and commitment to resolving the matter for the victim and the family.
SYNOPSIS/CONCLUSION:
I respectfully request that you consider and approve Detective McKee's nomination for his superlative investigative skills that he applied with persistency and determination to ensure that the above case(s) would result with an arrest. Furthermore, he displays the ability to effectively investigate a diversified range of criminal cases with efficiency and competency. Moreover, He should be commended for his level of perseverance and dedication with solving these cases.