A Miami psychologist who was accused of gaining a vulnerable teenage girl’s trust before exposing her to sexual activity involving adult men has been convicted of two crimes, although jurors cleared her of the most serious charge she faced.
Maria Ximena Duarte, 48, was found guilty Tuesday, November 10, of lewd and lascivious exhibition and an unnatural and lascivious act following a disturbing trial involving allegations of sexual exploitation, drugs and manipulation inside a Miami-Dade hotel.
The verdict came more than two years after prosecutors say Duarte approached a 15-year-old girl who was walking her dog near the Aloft Hotel in August 2024.
What initially appeared to be a friendly encounter allegedly developed into a relationship that prosecutors described as calculated exploitation.
According to testimony, the teenager was struggling with problems at home when Duarte befriended her. Prosecutors argued that Duarte used her professional background in psychology to make the girl feel safe and understood before taking advantage of her vulnerability.
“She felt like she wasn’t alone, that someone cared about her,” prosecutor Justin Funck told jurors, explaining how the teenager came to trust the older woman.
Investigators said Duarte offered the girl attention and support, including helping with her appearance, before inviting her into a hotel room where prosecutors alleged the situation took a troubling turn.
Authorities accused Duarte of encouraging the teenager to engage in sexual activity with adult men, including her own boyfriend, Jason Mojica.
Prosecutors also alleged that Duarte exposed the girl to sexual activity and that drugs were involved in gatherings at the hotel.
“The defendant used that 15-year-old girl to lure men to the hotel where they had sex and did drugs,” Funck told the jury.
Two men connected to the case, Mojica and Hermes Mejia, ultimately reached plea agreements and testified against Duarte during her trial.
Mojica pleaded guilty to charges involving sexual activity with the minor and received a seven-year prison sentence followed by probation.
Mejia also pleaded guilty to a charge connected to the case and received probation as part of his agreement.
Their testimony became a significant part of the prosecution’s effort to establish that Duarte knowingly exploited the teenager.
However, Duarte’s defense attorney, Robert Barrar, challenged the allegations and questioned the credibility of the witnesses.
He argued that his client had simply offered emotional support to a troubled young girl and disputed claims that Duarte had orchestrated the encounters.
“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,” Barrar told the court.
The defense also argued that the men who testified against Duarte had received favorable plea agreements, raising questions about their motivations.
After deliberating for just over two hours, the six-member jury returned a split verdict.
Duarte was acquitted of human trafficking, the most serious charge, but convicted of lewd and lascivious exhibition and an unnatural and lascivious act.
The decision means jurors found her guilty of certain sexual misconduct offenses while rejecting the prosecution’s human trafficking charge.
Following the verdict, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Ellen Sue Venzer ordered Duarte taken into custody. She had been under house arrest while awaiting trial.
Her professional licenses had also been suspended following the allegations, according to Florida Department of Health records.
Duarte now faces up to 15 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for January 11, 2027.
The case has drawn attention because of Duarte’s background in mental health, a profession built around helping vulnerable people navigate difficult circumstances.
Prosecutors maintained that the teenager’s desire for acceptance and emotional support made her particularly susceptible to manipulation, while the defense insisted Duarte had not forced or arranged the encounters.
Although the jury rejected the human trafficking accusation, the convictions mark a serious legal defeat for Duarte, who now awaits sentencing in a case that began with what prosecutors described as an ordinary encounter between a troubled teenager and a woman who appeared willing to help.
The two men involved have already been sentenced, while Duarte’s punishment will be determined when she returns to court in January. NBC 6 South Florida+2
I notice that people who practice in social arts like psychology or sociology are often the most dysfunctional.