MIAMI – Two Port Miami employees were arrested Wednesday for allegedly stealing multiple pieces of artwork from one of the terminals, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office announced.

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According to their arrest reports, Tangela Denise Parks, 50, of Miami, and Angel Junior Prudhomme, 27, also of Miami, were arrested on charges of grand theft and criminal mischief.

Deputies said they are both custodial workers at the port.

According to their arrest reports, port authorities notified MDSO detectives assigned to Port Miami about a possible theft that occurred inside a terminal.

“MDSO detectives met with port authorities and reviewed surveillance video, which depicted Port of Miami workers removing artwork from a terminal, loading it in their personal vehicles, and exiting the port,” an MDSO news release issued Thursday stated.

According to the suspects’ arrest reports, the thefts occurred May 12 and were reported via the public corruption tip line on May 23.

Deputies said detectives reviewed surveillance video this week which showed Prudhomme on May 12 removing artwork from the walls in Terminal G and concealing them in a stairwell.

Deputies said he then concealed the mosaic/marble pieces in trash cans and trash bags while trying to evade security cameras.

According to the reports, surveillance video shows that on the next day, he placed the artwork in Parks’ vehicle.

Deputies said 12 of the 24 art pieces were damaged due to their improper removal and transportation.

The damaged items were left behind at the port and were recovered by the sea port General Investigations Unit.

According to the reports, the remaining pieces were recovered Wednesday at Prudhomme’s home.

Authorities said the art pieces were last appraised at $50,000.

According to his arrest report, Prudhomme confessed to stealing the artwork and taking it home. Deputies said Parks also admitted to her involvement in the theft and confessed to “removing additional property from the Port of Miami.”

“As Sheriff of Miami-Dade County, I take individuals using their employment to steal very seriously. I am committed to ensuring that anyone involved in dishonest actions will be held accountable” Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said Thursday in a statement.

As of Thursday morning, Prudhomme and Parks were both being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Online jail records listed their bonds as “to be set.”

MIAMI – A Miami man is facing a felony charge after police said he sexually assaulted a young girl.

A Miami Police Department arrest report states that the allegations against Osher Joshua Pittman, 21, of Allapattah, were laid out in a forensic interview on May 19.

Police said the victim, an 8-year-old “family friend,” told investigators that the assault happened at Pittman’s home in the 2000 block of Northwest 19th Terrace after he “placed his hand inside her pants and then her underwear.”

The report states that the girl was unsure of the day the incident occurred.

Authorities said they located Pittman on Tuesday in the area of Northwest 22nd Avenue and 20th Street and took him into custody.

They said he “denied the allegations” and told detectives he has had “ongoing issues with the victim’s mother” since he was 18.

At least three additional statements were redacted from the arrest report.

As of Wednesday, Pittman was being held without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a charge of sexual battery on a minor by an adult.

Just five weeks after being paralyzed in a shooting outside his home, the 18-year-old proudly rolled across the graduation stage in his wheelchair Tuesday during a ceremony at the Ocean Bank Convention Center on the Florida International University campus.

Milestone in Johnson’s life

The moment marked a milestone Nehemiah Johnson and his family feared might not come. What was almost a tragedy became a moment of triumph and testimony.

Johnson, who had been hospitalized at Jackson Memorial Hospital after being shot outside his Northwest Miami-Dade home on April 21, accepted his diploma from Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School to cheers and support from the crowd.

When asked how he felt about getting his diploma, Johnson said, “That’s my goal. Feeling real good for that.”

Before the shooting, Johnson had been the captain of the varsity basketball team and had enlisted in the U.S. Marines.

Reflecting on the past few months, Johnson shared the emotional toll the experience has taken.

“For these last couple months, it’s been a little up and down, but I’m feeling real blessed and happy to be here,” he said.

When asked about the future, Johnson shared that while the Marines had been the plan, things have shifted.

“Things change. So I’m trying to go to college now. I’m trying to stay offbeat,” he said. “I’m just going with the flow and seeing what things take me.”

Surrounded by friends, family and coaches, Johnson said, “I feel real good. It’s a lot of, it’s a lot of support everywhere, friends, family, my coaches. I’m just happy, man.”

A mother’s gratitude and hope

His mother, Naytalia, expressed her overwhelming gratitude and pride.

“I feel good about it. I’m thankful and grateful that he’s here for graduation, and we’re very thankful that he’s here today,” she said. “Bright future, we hope still, yes, still bright future. He’s planning to go to college. He got some options open, so yeah.”

She added, “We’re just feeling amazed. Uh, we’re thankful for them, thinking about him, the heat, thinking about him, the school thinking about him. I’m thankful for my pastor. He’s been with us every step of the way. Um, we’re just grateful. We’re grateful.”

“We’re not at a funeral. We’re at a graduation.”

Pastor Gaston Smith, who’s been closely supporting the family, said the night was nothing short of a blessing.

“Super proud, super proud, super grateful that we’re not at a funeral, we’re at a graduation, and day by day, he’s getting better. And we know that all his dreams are going to come true, and this is just the start of what God is going to do,” Smith said.

Case remains unsolved

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said the shooting occurred at 10:51 p.m. on April 21 near N.W. 28th Avenue and 87th Terrace.

Johnson’s mother believes it was a case of mistaken identity. She said her son was shot while cleaning out her car.

There are still no new leads in the case. When asked about justice, Johnson said, “Yeah, yes, I’m. I’m not too rare about who shot me. I’m just running about hitting that’s it.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).