Charges Dropped in Fontainebleau Ultra Music Week Rape Case

By Kyle Munzenrieder Mon., Jul. 11 2011 at 2:15 PM

Three California men accused of the brutal gang rape of a visiting college student at the Fontainebleau resort on Miami Beach will be allowed to walk free without facing trial. The state attorney's office has dropped all charges, reportedly due to lack of evidence.

Paul Thorington, Anthony Albano, and Ray Joseph Laranjo, all 23, were visiting Miami Beach from California during the hard partying week of Ultra Music Festival parties in late March. The three were alleged to have meet a visiting female college student at the Cadenza Luciano and Carl Craig-headlined pool party at the Shelborne hotel. The victim told police that the men agreed to let her store her purse at their room at the Fontainebleau resort, 26 blocks away. She told police after she arrived in the room the men held her down and took turns raping her.

Paul Thorington, Anthony Albano, and Ray Joseph Laranjo will no longer face charges.

"They were kind of taking turns on me, and somebody let my leg go, and I kicked him in the chest, and he backed up, and the other guy let go of my arm and they all started laughing at me," the unnamed victim told police, "And I grabbed all my stuff and ran into the elevator, and there were two girls in there and they asked me if I was OK, and I was already crying and everything. They took me to the front desk."

All three men were allowed to return to California but have been held under house arrest.

NBC Miami reports that now all charges have been dropped, with Laranjo telling the site that there was a lack of evidence.

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Tags:

Anthony Albano, Fontainebleau Hotel, Paul Thorington, Ray Joseph Laranjo

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LoandBehold

The charges were dropped because the victim (a college student) is too tramatized to withstand a court circus and media circus.

Johmb7025

Too traumatized? The girl is a liar and knew the defense team would rip her to shreds if she continued with her game. What kind of person has 3 men rape her and let them get away it especially when they could be put in prison for 30 years? I'll tell you what kind...a liar who was looking for attention. There is video evidence showing her leave the pool without her purse and video evidence showing her kissing one of the men in the elevator going up to the room. Not to mention they passed polygraph exams. Did she take a poly? Hell no. Get your facts straight before you pass ignorant judgement on people,

Rattlesnake

Now where is the media reporting that this girl was seen on numerous video security cameras"which by the way required the accused had to buy numerous hard drives which weren't cheap", that show her being affectionate with all three at different times,no tears and crying as reported and then going dirrectly to the newspapers and now she can't come to trial because of some mysterious inllness because of the stress, humm could it be caught lieing about the whole thing and she could be prosecuted for filing a false crime report. medically no signs of forced rape;"viginal tearing etc. I am disscusted with the News Media's rush to sensationalize this to sell papers and now no articles to rehabilitate these fine young men's reputation. Thank God for a honest Attorney General representing the state of Florida who was not even informed these men passed a lie detector test after 7 or so days in jail unjustly.

Working Mom23

I've personally known these young men for years and they are kind, caring and respectful individuals. I can't even imagine how this has impacted their lives and what they have had to go through these past several months. My heart goes out to these young men and their families.

Flavia

Is there any penalty for false accusations? This liar has ruined the lives of these three men. That is a very serious offense. I am tired of hearing these false rape accusations- they discredit real victims and they ruin the lives of innocent men. There should be strict penalties for such infractions!!

I Dare You

There is zero evidence the victim is lying. And there have been no allegations that her character is flawed.

I dare the 3 alleged rapists to countersue. I promise you they won't.

Johmb7025

If anything, the men should sue the Police for conducting a shotty investigation and for not being objective enough to see through her BS story.

Mistrwrong

This is why I always have a video camera rolling every time I bring a random college girl back to my room

HopefullyTheyAREInnocent

Yeah, quite fishy to start, who goes with 3 guys to a hotel room?

Kinkypork

who goes to a hotel with 3 guys? it happens every day in miami beach.

CallItLikeISeeIt

Someone that wants to bang 3 guys or call rape?

Rattlesnake

They passed a lie detector test after spending 7 days in jail even after being advised not to after that experiance and all the money,time,efforts of all who know these young men have proven to show this girl was out for a notorious event being a student in criminology,going to the news paper immediatly. let alone an excuse as to placing the girlfriends and her purse away; "they could have checked it at the place she and her girlfriends were at" mind it was 20 something blocks away walking.But no she wanted what she did and then accused these of rapping her.

I Dare You

First of all, no newspaper has reported that the 3 alleged rapists passed a lie detector test. Second of all, there is nothing suspicious about a tourist walking 20 blocks to visit the Fountaineblau Hotel. Many tourists who cannot afford to stay here ($500 a night) enjoy visiting this world famous icon. it has beautiful decorations and there is always the possibility that you may spot a movie star.