Air Force Veteran and Brother Sentenced to Jail in Dubai After Alleged Drugging Incident
DUBAI—Two Ohio brothers, including Air Force veteran and influencer Joseph Lopez, were sentenced to one month in jail in Dubai after claiming they were drugged during a yacht party. The brothers, charged with alcohol consumption, face additional charges of resisting arrest and damaging property. Their case has sparked calls for U.S. diplomatic intervention as they prepare for an upcoming court date.
The incident
Joseph Lopez, who currently holds the title of “Mister Louisiana” in the Mister USA competition, and his brother Joshua were on a “touristic visit to the Emirates” in June when the incident occurred. According to Detained in Dubai, an organization that assists individuals facing legal issues in the UAE, the brothers were enjoying a night out on June 2 when they were taken to two separate “afterparties” and forced to pay exorbitant bills before being offered a drink they claim was drugged.
“They were drugged by locals after being asked to a yacht party by a local resident,” Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling wrote on its website.
A night out gone wrong
The brothers had traveled to the UAE on May 25 to create luxurious content in Dubai, often referred to as the City of Gold. During their stay, they spent an evening at the nightclub Bla Bla before being approached by an Uber driver who offered to take them to an “afterparty” at a nearby hotel. They were served platters of food and drinks they hadn’t requested, and after 20 minutes, the party ended with a massive bill.
“It is clear they were targeted by scammers who were wanting to rob them,” Stirling wrote.
Deciding to call it a night, the brothers were then approached by a man who invited them to a yacht party. Despite Air Force veteran Joseph Lopez’s initial reluctance, the man insisted they were “American guests” and assured them they wouldn’t have to spend any money.
Onboard the yacht, the brothers were given more drinks and later charged $2,722. A woman then offered them another drink, which they believe was drugged.
“This girl brought me a drink, and after she brought me this drink, I don’t remember anything,” Joseph Lopez previously told Fox 19 Now.
“They were given one drink onboard the yacht, and the next thing they remember is being taken away by plain-clothed police officers in an unmarked vehicle,” Stirling explained.
Legal troubles and diplomatic pleas
The brothers were taken to the Al Barsha police station, where they remained from June 3 to June 12. Despite their requests, the police did not test their blood for drugs or sedatives.
Police charged the brothers with assaulting an officer, resisting arrest, damaging a patrol vehicle, and alcohol consumption. Although they bonded out, they were given a travel ban, preventing their return to the U.S. They are set to fight the charges of damaging government property and assaulting an officer in court on August 20.
Stirling criticized the UAE for its treatment of tourists, stating, “The government portrays that Dubai is a safe and crime-free destination for tourists, but the fact is, we see tourists targeted all the time. Whether it’s financial predators looking to scam visitors like Joseph and Joshua or attacks on women like Selina Waterman Smith, who was abducted and gang-raped,” she wrote.
“The government doesn’t seem to acknowledge crimes in the statistics they provide to the media or tourists. It’s a myth that Dubai is crime-free. They just don’t acknowledge it, as it’s bad for business.”
Stirling has urged Ohio politicians, including Republican Rep. Mike Carey, Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown, and Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, to intervene diplomatically to bring the brothers home.
“Without diplomatic intervention, these boys face potentially years in jails notorious for human rights abuse and torture,” she wrote.
“Joseph Lopez is an Air Force veteran who helps people in difficult situations through his mental health advocacy. He and his brother deserve every effort from the US government to bring him home.”
The brothers’ legal battle continues as they prepare for their upcoming court date, hoping for a resolution that will allow them to return home to Ohio.