A Cuban man living in Miami, identified as Wilder Valido Mercado, was taken into custody for engaging in a sexual relationship with a minor and subsequently threatening to harm her sister if she reported him to the authorities. According to an arrest report accessed by América TeVe, the man and the teenage girl were involved in a romantic relationship for at least ten months, starting when she was just 16 years old.
Following an altercation between them, the police intervened, and Valido Mercado now faces a slew of charges, which include engaging in sexual activities with a minor, victim tampering, and interfering with custody. "On this day, they had an argument, and the police were called. When they spoke to her, she admitted to the relationship, but our duty is to report it to the sexual battery department. With this information, charges were filed against him," explained Mike Vega, spokesperson for the Miami Police.
After this initial encounter with law enforcement, the suspect contacted the victim to threaten her sister if she did not drop the charges. The girl again reached out to the police, who set up a situation to record his threatening statement, according to the source. "We instructed her to call the man and tell him she dropped the case, then asked if he still planned to harm her sister. He replied no," Vega recounted.
Legal Implications and Previous Offenses
Even though the girl's father was aware of the relationship, the officer emphasized that in Florida, "a minor cannot engage in sexual activities with an adult (over 18 years old), regardless of family consent." Valido Mercado has a criminal record dating back to 2021 for drug possession, petty theft, and driving without a license.
On Friday, a Miami court set his bail at $11,000.