Miami Beach, FL – A 20-year-old Florida woman has been sentenced to five years probation after authorities say she targeted male victims at upscale hotels, assaulted them with pepper spray, and stole high-end luxury watches and other valuables.
Esther Torres was initially arrested on two counts of first-degree robbery, following separate incidents in March that shocked the Miami Beach community and drew widespread media attention.
According to the Miami Beach Police Department, the first incident unfolded at the Breakwater Hotel, where Torres allegedly pepper-sprayed a man and stole a Hugo Boss watch, along with more than $200 in cash and Euros and several credit cards. The victim was caught off guard in what police described as a calculated attack.
The second robbery took place at the prestigious Fontainebleau Hotel. There, another male victim was similarly pepper-sprayed, leaving him temporarily blinded, while Torres made off with a Rolex Submariner valued at $22,000.
Surveillance footage from both locations captured Torres fleeing the scenes shortly after the thefts occurred. The use of luxury brand names like Rolex and Hugo Boss, along with the high-profile hotel settings, underscored the boldness of her scheme and drew sharp criticism from local business owners.
“We have a predator, and she’s preying on male victims,” said Mitch Novick, owner of the Sherbrooke Hotel, in an interview with WSVN, a Fox affiliate in Miami. Novick played a key role in the investigation by providing hotel surveillance footage to authorities.
The investigation eventually led police to Torres during a traffic-related incident in April. She arrived on scene after the man driving her vehicle was arrested. Police identified her using a driver’s license and took note of her presence.
By May, Torres was taken into custody after law enforcement positively matched her to an image on a “need to identify” flyer circulated by the department. She was initially held without bond.
During the arrest, officers released bodycam footage showing a child yelling off-camera, suggesting Torres had a child with her in the vehicle at the time.
“You have no weapons on you, none of that stuff, right?” an officer asks in the footage.
“No, no,” Torres responds.
Though she was initially jailed, court records reveal that she was later granted a recognizance bond in late June, meaning she could be released without paying bail under the agreement she would appear for all future court proceedings.
On Wednesday, Torres formally accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to five years of probation. As part of the deal, she avoided a prison sentence but will be under court supervision for the duration of the term.
