A Florida woman is confronting ten serious felony charges following allegations that she targeted men in Miami's vibrant nightlife scene, drugging them before making off with luxury merchandise and cash worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Arrest at Downtown Nightclub
Sarah Jean Tavano, aged 39, was taken into custody on Sunday at Sugar, a popular nightclub situated in downtown Miami. This location is notably where one of the men she is accused of victimising had initially encountered her.
A Pattern of Alleged Crimes
According to police affidavits, Tavano has been formally booked on charges including strongarm robbery, organised fraud, grand theft, and burglary of an occupied dwelling. Authorities describe her alleged method as one of deception, where she would lead men to believe she was interested in a casual sexual encounter. This ruse allegedly served to get them alone and in a vulnerable state, at which point she would administer drugs and proceed to steal their valuable possessions.
The First Reported Incident
The initial victim came forward to report an encounter that took place in October 2025 at the Blackbird Ordinary bar. An affidavit states the man claimed to have large gaps in his memory from that evening, even forgetting that he apparently invited Tavano back to his apartment. Police reviewed surveillance footage which reportedly showed Tavano entering the man's residence for approximately one hour. During this time, she changed her clothing and exited with two suitcases she did not originally possess.
The stolen items from this incident were valued at $26,426. The haul included multiple high-end products such as Louis Vuitton handbags and wallets, bags from designers Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Versace, Gucci, and Saint Laurent, alongside various pieces of gold and diamond jewellery. Investigators stated a fingerprint left at the apartment was later matched to Tavano.
Subsequent Alleged Offences
Just over a month later, on December 10, 2025, Tavano is alleged to have met another man at El Patio Wynwood Nightclub. Court records indicate the man reported they shared an Uber to his room at the Hyatt Centric Resort Hotel. After spending time at the hotel bar, they proceeded to his room where, according to a police report, the victim suffered a 'severe blackout' and did not wake until the following morning.
He discovered his wallet and iPhone 17 were missing. The victim reported unauthorised transactions totalling $14,000 made via credit and debit cards, wire transfers, and payment apps Zelle and Cashapp. An additional $20,000 was allegedly fraudulently spent at a shoe store. The police report also notes an attempt was made to transfer funds from his Coinbase cryptocurrency account.
A Third Alleged Victim Comes Forward
Merely three days later, police allege Tavano was involved in another incident. She reportedly met a man at the Sugar nightclub and accompanied him back to his room at the InterContinental Miami. The victim called emergency services early on December 13, reporting his $38,000 gold Rolex watch and $1,500 in cash were missing. The watch was later recovered from a pawn shop. This victim described experiencing sudden nausea, weakness, and dizziness before losing consciousness, symptoms mirroring those reported by the other alleged victims.
Evidence and Arrest
Law enforcement officials were able to identify Tavano as a suspect by piecing together surveillance footage from the various locations she had frequented over the preceding months. This evidence led to her arrest over the weekend.
Upon her arrest at the Sugar nightclub, police state that Tavano admitted to having drugs in her possession. A subsequent search allegedly revealed cocaine concealed underneath her bra. Furthermore, MDMA and Seroquel—substances with potential use as date rape drugs—were reportedly found in her purse.
A police report also describes a bottle of Jägermeister in her purse, 'with a powdery substance visibly floating within the liquid and settled at the bottom.' Tavano, who remains in custody, also allegedly acknowledged to police that she was the person depicted in still images taken from hotel surveillance footage.
