Trans influencer Nikita Dragun held in men’s jail after arrest
Transgender influencer Nikita Dragun was kept in the men’s unit of a jail in Miami on Wednesday before she was later released.
The 26-year-old beauty influencer was arrested at the Goodtime Hotel in Miami Beach on Monday after being charged with misdemeanour disorderly conduct and felony battery of a law enforcement officer, according to legal documents obtained by USA Today.
It has been reported that security employees were called to the room in which Dragun was staying because of loud music being played.
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According to the police reports, the YouTuber was ‘causing a disturbance for a long period of time’ and wandering around ‘unclothed’.
Then, when officers told her to stop what she was doing, the influencer allegedly hurled a water bottle at both a security guard and a police officer.
Following her arrest, Dragun was taken to a men’s unit of the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County.
Dragun was then released from police custody without bail requirements two days later.
A representative for Dragun later denounced the decision to keep her on a men’s unit during her time in custody.
Jack Ketsoyan said: “The situation with Nikita, who is legally female, being placed in a men’s unit of a Florida jail is extremely disturbing and dangerous.
“This decision made by the Miami-Dade County corrections department directly violates their protocol, which mandates that transgender inmates are classified and housed based on safety needs and gender identity.
“Nikita has been released and is now safe.”
Dragun also reportedly asked the judge whether she would have to remain on the men’s unit at her hearing.
The video – which has been shared on social media – saw the beauty influencer appearing at the court via a video link and asking the judge: “Do I have to stay on the men’s unit still?”
At that point, the judge replied that she does not ‘make the rules’ and asked for the request to be redirected to the correctional facility in order to find a separate and more suitable place for Dragun to stay.
Dragun is a hugely popular YouTuber with more than 3.5 million subscribers on the video sharing platform.
She also has more than nine million Instagram followers.
Dragun publicly came out as transgender in 2015, announcing the news on her YouTube channel in a video entitled ‘I AM TRANSGENDER’.
UNILAD has contacted a representative for Dragun for comment.
Tom Wood