Police say a 25-year-old Tampa man spent months tightening his grip on a woman in her mid-20s, cutting her off from the outside world until a multi-agency hunt finally caught up with him in Seffner.
Moises Estee Buitrago was arrested on April 14 after investigators say he subjected the woman to sustained control, isolation and escalating violence that started in October 2025. Detectives allege he destroyed the victim’s phone and identification, forced her to go to his workplace every day and blocked her from getting medical care. According to police, the abuse involved physical restraints and, by early 2026, injuries caused by weapons. Authorities say the search ended this week with his arrest in Seffner and a slate of felony charges.
According to the Tampa Free Press, detectives found that Buitrago had taken nude photos of the victim without her knowledge and shared them with others. Investigators also say that on March 24 he broke into a room where she was hiding before fleeing the scene. Members of the Tampa Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the U.S. Marshals Task Force later tracked him to the 5300 block of Royal Oak Drive in Seffner and took him into custody without incident. Tampa police say he was booked into the Orient Road Jail on charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, false imprisonment and two counts of digital voyeurism.
“No human being should ever have to endure the pain of domestic violence or the lifelong trauma it leaves behind,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement reported by the Tampa Free Press. The remark came as investigators outlined what they describe as months of coercive tactics, from isolating the victim to obstructing medical care, that fit a pattern of prolonged domestic abuse. A Tampa Police victim advocate is working with the survivor to provide services while detectives prepare the case for prosecutors.
Statewide context
Florida’s numbers suggest this case is one of many. The Department of Children and Families’ Domestic Violence Annual Report notes that the state recorded 106,515 domestic violence offenses in 2020, and certified domestic violence centers provided more than 613,000 nights of emergency shelter during FY 2022–23. The report also details tens of thousands of hotline calls and safety plans completed with survivors, underscoring how often victims need immediate help and how strained services can become. Advocates say tactics described in this case, including isolation, control of identification and surveillance, are classic coercive-control behaviors that can keep survivors from reaching out.
What the charges mean
Several of the reported counts carry serious legal weight. Florida’s digital voyeurism law criminalizes secret recording and dissemination of images taken without consent. Under Fla. Stat. § 810.145, an adult who knowingly records or broadcasts intimate images can face a third-degree felony. False imprisonment under Fla. Stat. § 787.02 is likewise a felony that may carry prison time. Together with an aggravated assault allegation, those offenses give prosecutors a range of tools to seek accountability while courts consider protective orders and victim-service needs.
Police say the arrest is a fresh reminder of how coercive control can hide in plain sight until someone steps in. If you or someone you know is in danger, call 911. Florida survivors can reach the Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119 for 24/7 confidential support and referrals. Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact the Tampa Police Department.
