A jury on Thursday afternoon found a former Miami-Dade police officer guilty of molesting three young girls over the course of a decade.
Daniel Ramos-Aviles, 42, lowered his head and fidgeted with his fingers as the verdict was read. The six-person jury—five men and one woman—convicted him on three of seven lewd and lascivious molestation charges, one for each victim.
One of Ramos-Aviles’ family members, who attended the trial in support, covered her face in disbelief when the conviction was announced
Ramos-Aviles worked at the Miami-Dade Police Department for just under 10 years. The department fired him after his arrest in October 2023.
Prosecutor Bronwyn Nayci argued during closing statements that Ramos-Aviles repeatedly abused children, highlighting the testimony of the three victims. Each girl described how Ramos-Aviles performed sexual acts on them and exposed himself during hide-and-seek games.
One of the girls was just 4 years old when she first told her mother about the abuse, Nayci said.
“If you believe [the minor victims], you should find the defendant guilty,” Nayci told jurors. “It all adds up and gives you a complete picture. No reasonable doubt.”
Defense attorney Scott Kotler countered that the case lacked physical evidence, text messages, or confessions. He insisted the prosecution relied entirely on victim testimony, which he said should leave jurors with reasonable doubt.
Kotler also pointed out flaws in the investigation. He noted that the lead detective had no formal training in child sexual abuse cases and interviewed one victim—who lived out of state—over the phone instead of in person.
“This is what you need to think about when you go back to that jury room,” Kotler told jurors. “…You don’t have to find him innocent.”
Ramos-Aviles faces 25 years to life in prison at his October sentencing.
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