A Pompano Beach man, identified as Matthew Merriman Cohen, was apprehended early Sunday morning on counts of sexual battery and false imprisonment as he was committing the act, per Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) officials. According to Local10 from BSO spokeswoman Veda Coleman-Wright, the arrest by the BSO’s Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response (V.I.P.E.R.) team occurred while they were conducting surveillance related to a previous sexual assault investigation involving Cohen.
Special Victims Unit detectives worked together with Real-Time Crime Center detectives to track Cohen's vehicle, a white 2003 Cadillac Escalade surveillance led to a gas station on West Atlantic Boulevard where a woman entered the SUV, subsequently the two drove to a neighborhood and parked on Northwest Eighth Avenue where the detectives, observing that Cohen forced the victim to perform a sex act on him, intervened and detained him. In a statement obtained by NBC Miami, it was detailed that Cohen initially offered to drive the woman to a friend’s house, but then demanded sex acts and insisted compliance would ensure her safety.
The victim reportedly attempted to escape but was pulled back by Cohen, experiencing fear for her life until law enforcement's timely intervention. Cohen was apprehended on one count of sexual battery and false imprisonment, with additional charges pending as the investigation, which suggests he may be linked to at least two other sexual battery cases in Pompano Beach, continues. Cohen was held at the Broward Main Jail on a $75,000 bond.
Authorities believe there may be other similar cases that have gone unreported Veda Coleman-Wright encouraged anyone who believes they are a victim of Cohen to contact SVU Det. Melissa Wallach at 954-321-4729 for further investigation and support.
