A Denver man, John Pastor-Mendoza, has been convicted on 30 charges related to the kidnapping, sexual assault, and attempted sexual assault of 12 women over a four-year period. Pastor-Mendoza, 43, posed as a rideshare driver to target women who requested rides through apps like Uber and Lyft. He would pick up unsuspecting victims, assault them either in his car or another location, and steal their cellphones.
The assaults occurred between September 2018 and July 2022. Pastor-Mendoza was linked to the crimes through DNA evidence from three victims, and investigators received key assistance from Tracks, a popular gay nightclub in Denver’s RiNo district. An employee at the club recognized Pastor-Mendoza from a police description and provided investigators with photos, his driver’s license, and vehicle details, which led to his arrest in August 2022.
Despite being connected to rideshare apps in the arrest affidavit, Uber confirmed that Pastor-Mendoza had never been registered as a driver on their platform. Pastor-Mendoza’s sentencing is set for March 7, and he faces significant prison time for his crimes.
