Miami police have arrested a 28-year-old man accused of an armed robbery in which he stole nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency and jewelry from a victim in the Morningside neighborhood. The incident occurred early on December 8, involving threats at gunpoint. Authorities tracked the suspect through social media and apprehended him days later.
On December 8, a victim visiting South Florida from out of state met up with Dontae Lamar Johnson, 28, from Royal Palm Beach. The two had initially connected in October at the Kiki on the River nightclub near downtown Miami. Around 2:45 a.m., after entering Johnson's vehicle, they parked at a building on 5801 Biscayne Boulevard in the Morningside neighborhood.
According to a Miami Police Department arrest report, Johnson then brandished a small black handgun and demanded the victim hand over his possessions. He forcefully removed the victim's watch, while the victim surrendered his chain and bracelet, totaling approximately $413,500 in value. Johnson was not satisfied and ordered the victim to open his cryptocurrency wallet and transfer funds, threatening to kill him if he did not comply.
The victim sent $562,155 worth of cryptocurrency to Johnson before escaping the scene. He called an Uber to leave and reported the robbery to Miami police two days later, on December 10. Detectives obtained Johnson's Instagram handle, “fiddybandz1,” from the victim, which aided in the investigation.
Miami's Tactical Robbery Unit located and arrested Johnson in the Edgewater neighborhood on Tuesday, December 24. Officers found a small black Ruger LCP .380 pistol in his vehicle's center console. He faces an armed robbery charge.
In Miami-Dade bond court the following day, Judge Victoria Sigler determined probable cause and ordered Johnson held pending a pre-trial detention hearing. “I bet he wants his cryptocurrency back, too,” she quipped, referring to the victim, as Johnson left the courtroom.
