A 28-year-old Naples man, Joshua Joseph Notarianni, was arrested in Miami yesterday on charges of human trafficking and deriving proceeds from prostitution. Police were initially investigating the disappearance of a 15-year-old girl from Brevard County when officers observed surveillance footage of a female who matched the description of the missing teen alongside Notarianni, as reported by CBS Miami. A subsequent records check revealed that Notarianni had an outstanding felony warrant from a 2018 attempted robbery in Collier County.
During the operation, two women, aged 20 and 23, were seen exiting the unit linked to Notarianni, who initially refused to come out himself. Police described hearing the sound they thought was a firearm being readied inside the residence, with the women confirming that Notarianni was armed. "Officers were involved in a standoff with Notarianni for several hours before a patrol supervisor was able to talk him into leaving the gun on the kitchen counter and coming outside," Miami police Officer Michael Vega said in a statement obtained by Local 10 News.
The arrest report indicated the two women were coerced into prostitution and were deprived of the proceeds from such activities. Notarianni also kept the victims' identifications in a locked room inaccessible to them. He faces multiple charges including two counts of human trafficking, two counts of deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution, and one count of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, as detailed by the same Local 10 News statement.
The Miami Police Department has called for any additional victims or individuals with information about Notarianni to come forward. "The Miami Police Department remains dedicated to protecting all from crime and will work tirelessly to identify and bring offenders to justice," said a spokesman in a statement echoed by CBS Miami. The State Attorney's Office Human Trafficking Task Force was also involved in the investigation and police action. Anonymous tips can be reported to Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 or online at www.crimestoppersmiami.com.
