Florida’s reputation is questionable at times. Known to have some incredible beaches it’s also well known for its residents and their off the wall behaviors. Parts of the state are dominated by retirees just soaking up the sun, while other parts are dominated by colorful, if not a little crazy, human beings. Coupling crazy with seeking justice, a Florida man set out to do something extreme, for a good cause.
How it Unfolded.
In 2018, Jorge Porto-Sierra, set out to kill a child molester he encountered in a motel. Jorge began to pour gasoline all over the man’s room at the Friendly Village Inn and Motel in Kissimmee, Florida. The man had a roommate with him and the pair escaped out the back window. Jorge was reportedly screaming “I’m going to kill you, child molester.” at the time. Prior to authorities arriving to make an arrest, Jorge continued his rampage.
He reportedly rammed his Black Ford Focus into another car in the parking lot and poured gasoline in through an open window attempting to set fire to two more individuals. Although he poured gasoline in multiple places, Jorge didn’t have time to set fire to anything. ‘Deputies then arrived on the scene, where they say Jorge Porto-Sierra surrendered right away. Waiving his Miranda rights, Porto-Sierra confessed and told the authorities, “They raped kids, they are child molesters that all live here and deserve to die.”’[1]
When questioned by authorities about why he didn’t follow through, Jorge Cooly replied “You got here too soon.” Police confirmed 50-year-old Porto-Sierra tried to kill four men (at least two of them were convicted sex offenders). ‘An Osceola County detective said that the man admitted his plan, causing him to be charged with four counts of attempted murder.’[1]
Why They Were There.
Kissimmee, Florida located in Osceola County, is a preferred place of residence for sex offenders. It’s an ideal location for those who can’t live within a certain distance of where children reside or congregate. With no schools, churches, or playgrounds nearby, there was reportedly 430 registered sex offenders living in the area at the time. Several of those residents citing residency at the ‘Friendly Village Inn and Motel. It is not known if Porto-Sierra knew personally any of the victims but it seems he felt a dire need to go on a crime fighting spree.
Was Jorge Right?
Often, children are put in a position where they don’t have the words to express or stand up for themselves. For centuries, children have been put in compromising positions. Most people advocate against it because these experiences are damaging and invasive. As adults, it’s our job to offer guidance, protection and a voice for those who don’t yet have the means to do it for themselves. Jorge Porto-Sierra took a risk and sacrificed for what he believed to be a good cause.
‘Osceola County detectives say Porto-Sierra confessed to deputies he tried to kill multiple people at the Friendly Village Inn. After his March 7 arrest, Porto-Sierra said he arrived at the motel to “barbecue all the child molesters on fire and kill them.”’[2] While Jorge’s plan came from a place of good intent, his delivery was not properly executed.
Unfortunately, because of the way he went about the situation he was arrested. Jorge went cooperatively with police and is in jail on 4 charges of attempted manslaughter. Human trafficking and other forms of sexual assault are being addressed all over the world and tireless efforts are put forth to end this traumatic suffering. Jorge made a choice, some would call crazy and many others would call honorable.