MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A man who officials call a “Miami Beach menace” has been arrested after, police said, he targeted a tourist.
Sex offender and accused repeat violent offender Perry Smith is back behind bars just days after being released, despite having open and pending felony cases.
According to investigators, Smith battered a tourist on Monday near a Mid-Beach Walgreens.
The man appeared in court where Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer read the arrest report.
“He intentionally bumped into her chest. She fell on her back. He kept screaming at her ‘You [expletive],'” said Glazer.
But this is not the first time he’s been accused of a crime. A few weeks ago, police said, the suspect tried to rob Jo Manning, an elderly woman who spoke to 7News.
“I’m outraged,” said Manning.
Manning was the victim of an attempted strong-arm robbery which happened just steps from her South Beach home back in March. She said Smith threatened to hurt her if she didn’t give him all of her money.
Once Smith was tracked down after Manning reported her encounter, police said, he battered an arresting cop and was taken to jail.
But his lockup only lasted a few days, as last week, Smith was released on his own recognizance, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
Manning said that after her incident with Smith, she tried to warn the city and anyone who’d listen about what Smith could do if he is released from jail.
“I wrote to all the commissioners, the mayor, the city manager,” said Manning.
Over the weekend, Manning heard about Smith allegedly creating a disturbance at a Collins Avenue business. Surveillance video captured Smith smoking a cigarette inside a store. Miami Beach Police were called soon after.
“This is a menace to society,” said Miami Beach City Commissioner Alex Fernandez.
Fernandez has been keeping up with Smith’s cases, too. He said he saw Smith out in public.
“I personally saw the sex offender outside of a school on 41st Street,” said Fernandez.
Smith’s public appearance at the school was just after the battery on the tourist near Walgreens, located at 4049 Pine Tree Dr.
Police said the manager of the Walgreens helped the victim. The arrest report states “he stated he recognized the subject from a recent news article by WSVN as Perry Smith.”
Back in court, the judge had questions about where Smith was taken into custody.
“There’s a school nearby, there are children nearby. If he’s a registered sex offender, he should not be on 41st Street, and maybe the police department needs to look into that,” said Glazer.
Hours after Monday’s attack on the tourist, Miami Beach police said, they arrested Smith on 16th Street and Washington Avenue.
Fernandez attended Smith’s bond court appearance on Tuesday.
“This individual does not belong in the streets of Miami Beach,” said Fernandez.
However, the defendant did not feel like cooperating.
“You must stay at least … No, no, I gotta read the stay-away order. Bring him back so I can read the stay-away order. Hello?” said Glazer.
Manning said many public officials have to answer questions about Smith.
“The State Attorney’s Office has a lot to answer for. The judges have a lot to answer for, so do the public defenders. I’m public. I want to be defended,” said Manning.
Smith’s arrest comes a week after another repeat sex offender was taken to jail following the discovery of a woman’s on the steps of the Miami City Ballet. That murder took place last week in Mid-Beach as well.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.