A single of Miami’s most influential law enforcement sergeants was suspended final month following a earlier unreported incident in Tallahassee involving a gentleman he achieved on a courting app, New Moments has acquired.
In accordance to a January 11 Tallahassee Police Division (TPD) report attained by New Occasions, Miami Police Section Sgt. Tommy Reyes, who is president of Miami’s Fraternal Order of Law enforcement (FOP) union and brazenly homosexual, was just about billed with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon right after pulling a gun on his Grindr day following the gentleman allegedly stole Reyes’ wallet.
Even though police were being dispatched to a reported robbery, TPD officers later recognized possible induce to cost Reyes. On February 17, Reyes was relieved of obligation with spend pending MPD’s ongoing inner affairs investigation into the incident.
“I was a target and I have nothing to conceal but I cannot comment on an open up investigation,” Reyes tells New Instances. “I was a target of a crime, and Tallahassee PD victimized me again.”
A TPD general public data officer declined to comment on the circumstance to New Occasions on Monday.
Reyes has led the area FOP chapter, which bargains with the Metropolis of Miami for union contracts for its law enforcement customers, due to the fact 2018.
In an e-mail to customers of the Miami FOP final thirty day period, Reyes wrote that his suspension came just after a criticism from an nameless celebration.
“I was [relieved of duty] dependent on an nameless complaint,” he wrote. “I are unable to go into information as it is an open investigation, I will stand powerful and explain to you my brothers and sisters that I was the target of a criminal offense, and I am at the time yet again being victimized by some of our have men and women.”
“I was a target of a criminal offense, and Tallahassee PD victimized me again.” — Sgt. Tommy Reyes, Miami FOP president
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The law enforcement report facts a violent altercation involving Reyes, who’s 36, and his date, a “young Hispanic male,” at a Hampton Inn & Suites resort while Reyes was traveling to Tallahassee in January. The report is closely redacted to withhold the names of Reyes and his date. But Reyes verified to New Periods that he is the other celebration in the report.
According to the report, the day achieved Reyes at the resort “anon,” this means he entered the place although Reyes was turned close to to not reveal his facial area, and that their sexual face went inadequately. The date explained to TPD officers he pretended to ejaculate by spitting on Reyes’ back again and took Reyes’ wallet right before leaving since he was frightened Reyes would “mess with him.”
Reyes instructed TPD officers that when the date saw Reyes’ MPD badge and legislation enforcement qualifications within the wallet, the date commenced to send him messages on Grindr in an attempt to “blackmail” him.
The date informed police Reyes experienced agreed to let him go on a “shopping spree” if he returned the wallet.
Reyes reported he did no this kind of thing, and that the day acquired several merchandise from a Finest Buy in Tallahassee working with his American Convey card without the need of his authorization, including computer system gaming add-ons and a $10 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Medical center. The tab came out to $1,310.71.
In accordance to the law enforcement report, the two men achieved up afterwards that day to exchange the wallet at the Hampton Inn parking lot. While they were sitting down inside the date’s motor vehicle, the date afterwards explained to law enforcement, he asked Reyes to vacant his pockets to reveal any weapons he may possibly have been carrying, at which place Reyes allegedly emptied his pockets and achieved over from the front passenger seat to take out the keys from the ignition. The day explained to law enforcement he was puzzled by this and reminded Reyes that he continue to experienced his wallet and that Reyes allegedly quipped, “And I have bought a gun.”
Reyes’ and the date’s accounts to TPD officers agreed that Reyes retrieved a hid gun and pointed it at the day, whereupon the two exited the car or truck and Reyes stored the weapon trained on him and purchased him to the floor.
It can be unclear at which issue for the duration of the altercation TPD was dispatched. Reyes instructed officers he did not situation any regulation enforcement commands or endeavor to make an arrest — an motion prohibited outside the house of his jurisdiction — but supposed to detain the date until finally TPD arrived.
In accordance to the report, TPD officers examined protection footage from the lodge, which shows Reyes pointing a gun at a young person and grabbing his arm in advance of cutting out to then demonstrate the person fleeing the parking good deal. The date explained to TPD officers that Reyes put his knee on his again and yelled, “I must fucking eliminate you,” in advance of he was capable to get absolutely free and run to a nearby fuel station.
By the time TPD officers satisfied Reyes in the lodge parking whole lot, the date was long gone, but officers appeared up the operator of the motor vehicle, who was the date’s mom. She advised officers on the telephone that she could persuade her son to meet with them at Florida A&M College (FAMU) law enforcement section, where by he afterwards gave a sworn assertion.
The day confirmed officers accidents he allegedly obtained from Reyes: “scrapes” on his still left knee and elbow, “cuts,” “attainable bruising,” and a “wound on the back again of his head which was crimson and had dried blood on it” where hair was also lacking.
Because Reyes blocked the day on Grindr, their discussion disappeared and the day was unable to display officers their messages.
Reyes presented the messages to a TPD investigator, who reviewed them on January 19 and determined that the date was making an attempt to “extort/blackmail” Reyes if he did not choose him on a “shopping spree.”
TPD officer Eric Scarbrough wrote that Reyes was originally the victim of petit theft, but since he drew his weapon on the guy and pinned him to the floor, there was possible cause to cost him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the need of intent to destroy — a 3rd-degree felony.
The circumstance was forwarded to the Tallahassee-Leon County Condition Attorney’s Place of work, which declined to deliver prices owing to “no affordable probability of prosecution.” Reyes’ situation was shut and considered “extremely cleared.”
Reyes stays relieved of duty with pay pending MPD’s investigation.
