Man accused of grabbing woman, spraying her with unknown liquid at Ross store, Miami-Dade deputies say
Officials with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said they took a man into custody in connection with a battery complaint, and deputies say this isn't the first time he's had a run-in with the law.
MDSO held a news conference Friday morning to discuss the incident and arrest.
According to investigators, deputies responded to 13780 Southwest 56th Street regarding a battery around 4:15 p.m. on Aug. 17. When deputies arrived, they said they located a victim and witness, but the suspect was nowhere to be found.
According to an arrest report, the victim was stocking shelves at a Ross store when a witness saw a man standing behind the victim and grabbing her private parts. The man then sprayed an unknown liquid on the victim's shirt, investigators said.
Lead Detective Diego Mendoza said, "The male just happened to get into an area where she was working at and took a liking to her and started taking pictures, as we see on the video of her, of her buttocks and getting close to her. The witness went to loss prevention about this, and when she came back, she saw the subject getting directly behind the victim, who was crouching down on the floor, and he sprayed her."
As the investigation continued, deputies said they identified and located Sean Edward Uribe, 37, after a witness identified him in a photo lineup.
Mendoza said Uribe is a repeat offender who is well known to his unit and has been convicted of battery three times previously.
He said, "This is not the first time he has done this. He is well known to our unit. But it is pretty shocking that he would do something like this in front of the camera and in front of kids and anyone looking."
Mendoza said, "He has previous convictions, so this is a much higher crime. This is a felony. My concern is that he is doing this to a number of women across Miami-Dade County. I am sure multiple females are not even aware he has done that to them. I am sure this guy has done this multiple times to multiple people and multiple females all over Dade County."
Uribe was arrested and charged with one count of battery, according to deputies. Investigators said Uribe invoked his right to remain silent.
The sheriff's office believes there could be additional victims and is urging anyone who may have had a similar encounter with Uribe to come forward.
Outside the Ross store, CBS News Miami spoke with shoppers. Raydel Hernandez said, "This is not right. He should stay in jail. He should not be free. It is not safe for people here."
Shopper Yeni Alfonso said, "That is not nice. It is not good if the guy has been arrested before."
At a bond court appearance on Tuesday, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer gave Uribe a Public Defender and ordered him to have no contact with the alleged victim of the Ross store.
"That is no contact either directly or indirectly or in person or in writing or through the telephone os through 3rd parties," she said.
Glazer set Uribe's bond at $10,000.
Mendoza said Uribe lives with his mother. CBS News Miami stopped by their home, but a woman who answered the door did not want to comment.