BPD: Victim tries to meet up on dating app, gets beat up

BROWNSVILLE, Texas ( ValleyCentral ) — A Cameron County inmate was served with four arrest warrants after ambushing a man who was trying to meet someone through a dating app, police say.

Ernesto Emmanuel Jimenez, 17, was charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, engaging in organized criminal activity and unlawful restraint, a news release from the Brownsville Police Department stated.

On June 29, Brownsville police responded to the 2200 block of Illinois Avenue regarding an aggravated robbery.

The victim told police he went to the 2200 block of South Dakota Avenue to meet with someone he had met on a dating app. When he arrived at the location, he said he was ambushed by a group of armed men.

According to the police, the victim was tied up, hit on his head and forcibly placed in the backseat of his own car.

The suspects then took the victim to an isolated field at the 2200 block of Illinois Avenue where he was assaulted again before he was thrown out of his vehicle, police said.

One minor was arrested on July 16 in connection to the assault. Two other suspects, who are currently incarcerated, are expected to be served with warrants in the next coming days.

Brownsville police advise the public to use caution when meeting with someone they have spoken to online.

“Before meeting someone in person, it is recommended to inform a trusted friend or family member of your plans, including details such as the location, time, and the person you’re meeting,” Brownsville police stated. “You never know who or what you will encounter.”

Abril Luna, Public Information Officer for the Brownsville Police Department, stated, these situations can happen on any online platform.

Brownsville police has several safety exchange zones at their main police department and the Southmost station.

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