An Air Force veteran and his brother have been jailed in Dubai for drinking alcohol on a yacht after claiming they had been drugged at a party.
Joseph Lopez, the current Mr. Louisiana titleholder, and his brother Joshua have each been sentenced to one month in jail for the alcohol consumption charge they received while on vacation in June, according to the legal organization. Arrested in Dubai.
The Ohio couple also face charges of “damaging government property and assaulting an officer,” which attorneys expect could carry a lengthy sentence. They will fight the charge in court tomorrow.
Lopez, a B-52 mechanic and Honor Guard member, left the military nine months ago and began advocating for mental health on social media, with followers saying he’s “trying to inspire and make people laugh and relate.”
The influencer was also being considered for the prestigious Mr USA title and had travelled to the United Arab Emirates with Joshua for a two-week trip before beginning his preparations for the beauty pageant.
Air Force veteran Joseph Lopez (left) and his brother Joshua (right) have been jailed for a month each in Dubai on a drink-driving charge they received while on holiday in June.
The couple also face charges of “damaging government property and assaulting an officer,” which attorneys hope could carry a lengthy sentence. Pictured: Joseph Lopez with his dog
Lopez and Joshua appeared in court last week to face a charge of consuming alcohol. They were both jailed for one month each.
They are expected to appear in court on August 20 to fight the second charge.
Detained Dubai CEO Radha Stirling claims the couple were “drugged by locals” who invited them to a yacht party and “continued to be targeted by scammers” looking to “rob them”.
“They were given a drink on board the yacht and the next thing they remember was being driven away by plainclothes police officers in an unmarked vehicle,” he said in a statement issued after they were sentenced.
Stirling argued that the couple “were under the impression that they were being kidnapped” and claims that police refused to carry out a blood test to check for the presence of drugs or sedatives, despite the brothers’ request for one.
“The government portrays Dubai as a safe and crime-free tourist destination, but the truth is we see tourists being targeted all the time,” he said, adding: “It’s a myth that Dubai is crime-free. They just don’t acknowledge it because it’s bad for business.”
Lopez and Joseph traveled to the United Arab Emirates on May 25 and on June 2 they visited a popular Dubai club called Bla Bla, but the night ended in unexpected horror.
An Uber driver reportedly approached the brothers while they were outside the club and suggested they attend an after-party at a nearby hotel.
Lopez and Joshua accepted the offer and were taken straight to the VIP section where they were presented with plates of food, sparklers and drinks that the brothers had not requested.
The social media influencer left the military nine months ago and became a mental health advocate. Pictured: Lopez appears in Dubai in an Instagram post, uploaded on May 27
Lopez (pictured) and Joshua appeared in court last week to face one count of alcohol consumption. They were both jailed for one month each. They are expected to appear in court on August 20 to fight the second charge.
About 20 minutes later, as the store was closing, Lopez was reportedly handed a bill, which he paid in full, despite feeling like he had been ripped off.
“Uber drivers and other promoters are paid by locals to bring tourists,” Stirling said in a statement last month.
In this case, it seems they have gone a step further by forcing them to eat and drink while making it seem like it is free.
Although Lopez’s suspicions were raised by his huge and unexpected bill, he explained how a party-goer invited him on a yacht before explaining that he “didn’t want to spend any more that night.”
But the anonymous man persevered and told Lopez and Joshua that they would be his “American guests.”
The brothers eventually agreed and once they boarded the luxury boat, they were given a drink for which the staff later attempted to charge them more than $2,700, but Lopez refused several times.
The social media influencer later claimed he and his brother began to feel strange, before allegedly being confronted by a group of men speaking Arabic and wearing black ski masks.
They attempted to throw the brothers into the back of a vehicle and Lopez admitted he thought they were being kidnapped.
The couple was reportedly not tested for alcohol for at least 24 hours, but several days later, authorities took a urine sample, once any drug residue had left their bodies, according to reports.
Arrested in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling claims the brothers were “drugged by locals” who invited them to a yacht party and “became the target of scammers” looking to “rob them”. Pictured: Joseph Lopez
“They didn’t realise the men were plainclothes police officers,” Stirling said.
‘Plainclothes police officers often forcefully approach tourists, grab them and intimidate them without identifying themselves.
“Of course, the tourist will defend himself against what he perceives as an assault or something worse. He ends up being unjustly accused of resisting authority or assaulting a police officer.”
The terrified brothers were taken to Al Barsha, where they were held overnight and detained until June 12.
Upon arrival, they told officers they had been drugged, but police allegedly refused to test them.
The couple was reportedly not tested for alcohol for at least 24 hours, but several days later, authorities took a urine sample once any drug residue had left their bodies.
“Police typically take samples immediately upon arrival to preserve evidence against the detainee,” Stirling said.
“It is highly unusual and suspicious to wait several days for a test, particularly when they have already been informed about the risks.”
“Joseph Lopez is an Air Force veteran who helps people in difficult situations through his mental health advocacy,” Stirling previously said.
According to Lopez, the brothers were told by their cellmates that it is common in Dubai to deliberately drug visitors and take advantage of them.
Joseph and Joshua were granted bail with a travel ban on June 12.
They were not allowed to leave the country, even though neither had been officially charged with any crime.
The couple have now been sentenced to one month in prison and could face an even longer sentence if convicted on the charge of “damaging government property and assaulting an officer.”
Countless foreigners have been beaten, tortured and even killed in Dubai’s notorious prisons.