After a disturbing set of events, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle has disclosed charges against 23-year-old Dimitri David Lubin and 25-year-old Falon Elizabeth Dunkelberger. The duo is facing allegations of human trafficking, with an added charge of kidnapping a baby for Lubin. The revelations emerged following an anonymous tip received by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office, uncovering a sinister plot that ensnared a 21-year-old victim from Oklahoma. Dunkelberger, masquerading as a content creator showcasing a lavish Miami lifestyle, manipulated the victim into traveling to the city under false pretenses. The victim, the mother of a one-year-old child, had just left an abusive relationship and faced financial struggles before falling prey to Dunkelberger’s deceptive charm.
According to the arrest report, Dunkelberger persuaded the victim to come to Miami, assuring her that men would pay handsomely for her mere presence in their cars. The co-defendant even purchased a one-way ticket for the victim, who was then taken to a luxury apartment. The situation took a dark turn when Dunkelberger revealed that the victim would be expected to engage in prostitution. Although the victim informed Dunkelberger that she did not want to engage in such behavior, Dunkelberger took the victim to a hotel to meet with a prospective client, who turned out be an undercover detective. After Dunkelberger accepted payment for services, both the victim and Dunkelberger were arrested.
Although initially reluctant to disclose her circumstances, the victim contacted investigators on December 6. She revealed that she had traveled to Miami with her one-year-old child and was acquainted with Lubin, who managed her money. She then divulged that Lubin had her child and sought the aid of investigators to retrieve her child from him.
As the investigation intensified, it became apparent that Lubin had abducted the baby and was using the child as a bargaining chip. A task force was mobilized to retrieve the infant, leading to a tense confrontation. Lubin attempted to manipulate the victim by phone, insisting on specific conditions for the child’s return. The situation reached a critical juncture when Lubin cancelled their planned meeting and demanded the victim take an Uber to meet with him. vanished after initially appearing with the child at a designated drop-off location. The victim told Lubin she would contact the police if her child were not returned.
A specialized task force was swiftly mobilized for the delicate mission. Over phone calls, Lubin, holding the infant as a bargaining chip, imposed strict conditions. He instructed the victim to go to a nearby gas station where he would pick her up. A strategic perimeter was established around a gas station, but Lubin backed out. He then instructed the victim to take an Uber to meet him at another location. Once again, Lubin did not show up. The victim then called Lubin and threatened to contact the police if he did not immediately return her child. Lubin subsequently showed up with the victim’s baby and was arrested by Miami police.
The ordeal, characterized by Fernandez Rundle as “unspeakable forms of manipulation and inhumanity,” highlights the vulnerability of victims, particularly in cases involving economic hardship or runaway situations. The charges against Lubin and Dunkelberger underscore the urgent need for combating human trafficking and protecting those most susceptible to exploitation.
