Maria Duarte, whose professional license has been suspended, was ordered back to jail by Judge Ellen Sue Venzer to await sentencing, scheduled for January. She faces up to 15 years in prison. Duarte had been on house arrest while awaiting trial and has denied wrongdoing.

The case began in August 2024, when the 15-year-old was walking her dog near an Aloft hotel in Miami. According to police, Duarte approached the girl and befriended her. Prosecutors told jurors the teenager was dealing with significant problems at home and viewed Duarte as someone who cared about her and could help her.

“She felt like she wasn’t alone, that someone cared about her,” prosecutor Justin Funck said during the trial. “Somebody who was going to help her put on clothes and do her makeup and do her hair.”

Prosecutors alleged Duarte then used her psychology background to manipulate the teenager into having sex with other men, including Duarte’s boyfriend, Jason Mojica.

“The defendant used that 15-year-old girl to lure men to the hotel where they had sex and did drugs,” Funck told jurors.

Mojica, Duarte’s co-defendant, pleaded guilty to having sex with the minor and testified against her at trial. He was sentenced to seven years in prison followed by probation as part of a plea deal. A third man, Hermes Mejia, also testified against Duarte after pleading guilty in connection with the case.

After hearing all the evidence, the jury rejected the prosecution’s human trafficking allegation, finding Duarte not guilty on that charge. However, jurors convicted her of other crimes involving her conduct with the teenager, including having sex in front of the girl and encouraging her to have sex with other men.

Her defense attorney, Robert Barrar, challenged the prosecution’s case and the teenager’s account.

“Whatever happened at that hotel was not a result of Maria doing anything with the child, this young lady, other than giving her a shoulder to cry on,” Barrar said.

The conviction raises questions about oversight of mental health professionals in Florida, where licensing records show Duarte’s credentials have been suspended. The case also highlights the vulnerability of teenagers in crisis who may be drawn to adults offering support, and the difficulty prosecutors face in securing trafficking convictions even when other serious charges stick.

Duarte’s sentencing is set for January, when she could receive a prison term of up to 15 years.