HOMESTEAD, FLA. (WSVN) - A man is suing the Homestead Police Department after, he said, he was the victim of an unlawful arrest due to a bad breakup with his ex-girlfriend.
Julio Trejo said he was ganged up on and falsely arrested after his ex began getting romantically involved with an officer at the department and she directed that officer to throw him in jail.
Now, Trejo and his attorney, Michael Pizzi, are suing the department and the officer, Pedro Perez.
“I had an ankle monitor for two months. I was in jail for five days,” said Trejo.
“We have filed this lawsuit,” said Pizzi.
Body camera footage shows Trejo’s arrest.
“I’ve lost a lot through all of this. I’ve lost my business. I’ve lost my relationship I had with my children,” Trejo said.
Trejo, who had been in a custody battle with the mother of his three kids, said he learned about the alleged scheme against him by discovering text messages between his former girlfriend and then-detective Perez.
He said the messages were found on an Apple Watch that belonged to his son.
“She gifted him an old iWatch and in that iWatch, she must’ve forgotten to delete her messages of her and the detective,” Trejo explained.
Pizzi said hundreds of messages were discovered on the smartwatch.
“500 text messages as part of this dalliance with the mother of his children,” he said.
Pizzi added that Perez and Trejo’s ex allegedly conspired to have his client arrested for aggravated stalking.
Trejo’s arrest, which occurred in 2023, came just before he was supposed to appear at a custody hearing.
Pizzi provided text messages exclusively to 7News that read:
“So do you want me to try to get him before next Friday,” wrote Perez.
“Can you do it Friday morning? That way he misses his hearing and the judge will grant the restraining order?” replied Trejo’s ex.
“Good night. Relax. Everything will work out. I’ll see you Friday and we’ll get that permanent injunction,” said Perez.
Ultimately, the stalking charge against Trejo was dropped.
Trejo has also filed a complaint with the Homestead Police Department’s Internal Affairs.
“You have a police officer selling his badge, selling his police enforcement powers and agreeing to arrest somebody and make him lose his children and lose his liberty all so that he could get a kiss,” said Pizzi.
The kiss the attorney is referring to comes from text messages where Perez is said to have written: “When are we gonna drink some wine together is what I want to know,” and later “Glad we got that kiss out of the way. Hope it was to your liking. I definitely did.”
Trejo said police funny business is what took place at the Homestead Police Department.
“The police department is very corrupted. There is no accountability,” said Trejo.
7News reached out to the Homestead Police Department for comment. In response, they said:
“The Homestead Police Department will make no further statements on this case as we do not comment on pending litigation.”
The text messages are said to be from Perez’s city-issued police cellphone.
Trejo and his attorney are suing for false arrest, malicious prosecution and abuse of process. They are seeking damages in excess of $1 million.
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