Rideshare Driver Arrested in Maryland Rape Case Had Prior Sex Abuse Arrest in New York
Authorities are concerned about additional victims in the case of Abdoulaye Dia, who allegedly assaulted a minor and had faced similar charges in New York.
An immigrant who entered the country illegally and worked as a rideshare driver has been arrested in Maryland on rape charges involving a teenage girl. Authorities are concerned that there may be more victims, especially after it was revealed the suspect had a prior arrest for similar crimes in New York.
Abdoulaye Dia, 36, a rideshare driver with the company Empower, was arrested Wednesday after a minor reported he raped her in a parking lot in Silver Spring the previous day, according to the Montgomery County Department of Police. The alleged victim, whose age was not disclosed but is under 18, identified Dia to police as an Empower driver. The company stated that Dia passed an extensive background check.
Officers identified Dia through information from the rideshare app and arrested him nearby in Lanham. He faces charges of first-degree rape, kidnapping, second-degree assault, and third-degree sex offense.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed to Fox News that Dia is a citizen of Guinea and was arrested in New York in June for similar charges. DHS also stated that Dia entered the U.S. illegally through Arizona in December 2023.
In the New York case, Dia was charged with sexual abuse by forcible compulsion, forcible touching of the sexual or intimate parts of another person, injuring a child under 17, and sexual abuse without consent. Case records have not been made public. A spokesperson for the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office told WJLA that their office had requested Dia be held on bond, but a judge ordered him released on supervised release.
Empower issued a statement saying that drivers using their software are considered customers, not employees, and set their own rates. The company stated they conducted a background check, sex offender check, driving record check, Social Security trace, and global watchlist search on Dia on July 16 using the same company that Uber and Lyft use, and no incidents were flagged.
Empower also noted that they do not offer services to minors, while Uber and Lyft have programs that allow unaccompanied minors aged 13-17 to ride with permission in select cities.
Dia appeared in court on Thursday and was ordered held without bail. It is not yet clear if he has retained an attorney or entered a plea. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not yet indicated whether it will issue a detainer against Dia or pursue deportation.