Miami club promoter accused of raping two women visiting from out of state

MIAMI – A Miami club promoter was arrested Thursday on charges of sexually assaulting two women who visited the city to celebrate their birthdays in separate incidents over a two-year period, authorities confirmed Friday.

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The first alleged victim, a woman who was 20 years old at the time of the incident, told police she was introduced to 34-year-old Devann Yao by a friend in July 2022, investigators said.

Authorities said the woman, now 22, had traveled to Miami to celebrate her 20th birthday when he invited her to Mr. Jones, a popular lounge in Miami Beach.

After consuming alcoholic drinks, police said the victim felt sick, and Yao escorted her out and arranged for an Uber to take her to his home.

Once there, the victim told detectives she had fallen asleep but woke up with Yao already performing sex acts without her consent, the report said. The woman reportedly pushed him away and he immediately stopped, authorities said.

In a separate incident reported two years later, Miami police said a 21-year-old Maryland woman stated she met Yao on July 17 at the Coco Miami Lounge.

After drinking alcoholic beverages, she reportedly found herself at Yao’s residence without knowing how she got there, the arrest report said.

The woman alleged that Yao sexually assaulted her and covered her mouth when she screamed.

The woman said she woke up at his residence the next day and told him she had to return to her hotel to pack for her scheduled flight back to Maryland.

In a statement to police, the victim alleged that Yao ordered her into an Uber to pick up her belongings, expecting her to return to his residence, which she did when he sexually assaulted her for a second time despite her repeated requests to leave, investigators confirmed.

The victim stated she felt as if she was experiencing an “out of body experience” and suspected she had been drugged, police wrote.

Upon returning to Maryland, authorities said she sought medical attention, completed a rape kit at Howard County General Hospital and later sought psychiatric treatment, citing feelings of self-harm related to the incident.

Investigators confirmed that Miami police officers arrested Yao at his home just before 2:30 p.m. Thursday and transported him to the MPD Special Victims Unit office, where he refused to speak to detectives after being read his Miranda rights.

Jail records show Yao faces two counts of sexual battery on a victim 18 or older without serious injury.

As of Friday, he remains in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be determined.”