The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s office has brought a formal complaint against an Uber driver who allegedly sexually assaulted a 20-year-old Pasco County woman after she had celebrated her birthday with friends.
Anthony Oliveras-Rivera, who currently is awaiting trial, was charged with sexual battery upon admitting to having sexual intercourse with the woman when he was confronted by law enforcement.
“My client is a very cute young girl, and this man is much older,” attorney Andrea Lewis said. “If you see the two of these people next to one another, this clearly was not a consensual engagement by any stretch of the imagination.”
Lewis, of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart and Shipley law firm, is a former prosecutor for the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s office and specializes in representing victims of sexually motivated crimes.
The incident is not Oliveras-Rivera's first brush with the law.
New York Supreme Court records show that Oliveras-Rivera was arrested for armed burglary, robbery with a firearm, and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 10 years in the New York Department of Corrections and released.
“The fact this could happen in and of itself is shocking,” Lewis told the Florida Record. “The question here that has yet to be answered is, how could Uber ever agree to have a man like this as a driver considering his criminal past?”
The alleged victim had been drinking alcohol when she was separated from her friends outside of a Tampa nightclub. A passerby called an Uber to take her back to her hotel.
"We have companies making millions and millions and millions of dollars that are offering rides that want to do business with people, including those that are intoxicated and who are looking for a safe ride home," Lewis said. "So, to accept that money but not be willing to put safety precautions and proper screening in place is shameful and it needs to change. It's not this young woman's fault."
Uber did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The victim was taken to AdventHealth Westchase Emergency Room where an examination was performed that matched Oliveras-Rivera's DNA.
"People really need to demand that all of these ride-sharing companies do more, put more procedures in place, and put more policies in place that are better able to weed out people like this," Lewis added. "These ride-sharing companies do provide a service that many people utilize and that can be helpful in many circumstances.
"They also pitch themselves as a safe alternative or a safe ride home that you can count on in your time of need even if that means you're intoxicated."