Bogus Ride-Hailing Driver Faces 100 Years To Life In Prison In String Of Rapes

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A man who posed as a ride-hailing driver faces more than 100 years to life in prison after being convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting four women in a five-year period, San Francisco prosecutors said Friday.

Orlando Vilchez Lazo, 44, was convicted by a jury on 11 felonies including kidnapping, kidnapping with intent to commit rape, rape by force or fear and sexual penetration with a foreign object between 2013 and 2018, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said.

"Justice has finally been served," Jenkins said in a statement. "Let this conviction serve as a reminder to those who think they can outrun justice; my office will be relentless in our pursuit and never stop fighting for victims and survivors of crime."

Vilchez Lazo picked up young women who were waiting for their ride-booking service after leaving bars and nightclubs and took them to a secluded area to rape them, prosecutors said.

The first occurred in 2013 when Vilchez Lazo picked up a 21-year-old college student after she left a bar in the Mission district and took her to an abandoned industrial area, locked the car doors and raped her, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The woman had no idea where she was taken and saw no people, vehicles or houses nearby. DNA was collected after a rape examination at San Francisco General Hospital, but it couldn't be traced to a suspect. The incident was eventually classified as a cold case.

In February of 2018, a woman who left a nightclub with a friend in the South of Market district ordered a rides-hailing service. After her ride was canceled, Vilchez Lazo pulled to the curb in a car and told the friend that he could give them a ride home, prosecutors said.

"Once in the vehicle, Mr. Vilchez Lazo pulled over less than a block away and told the friend to exit the vehicle and get water. As soon as the friend exited the car, he sped away" with the other woman, prosecutors said. "He then took her to Mansell Street and violently raped her in an area with no cars or residences."

DNA from that rape was matched to the 2013 rape, prosecutors said.

In May of 2018, a 22-year-old who had been out with friends at a nightclub in SOMA ordered a ride-hailing service near Howard and Second streets.

Vilchez Lazo pulled up with a rideshare decal on his vehicle and the woman got in. She confirmed that it was her car by stating her name.

"Vilchez Lazo falsely confirmed he was her rideshare driver," prosecutors said. He took her mobile phone and drove her to Mansell Street where he got into the back seat of the car and raped her.

"She had no idea where she was and screamed for help," prosecutors said. "Mr. Vilchez Lazo put a metal object up to her neck and stated, "this can be easy or this can be violent."

DNA from the attack was a match to the 2013 and 2018 rapes, prosecutors said.

In June of 2018, a 21-year-old woman who had been out with friends at a SOMA nightclub ordered a ride-share near Howard and Second streets.

"Mr. Vilchez Lazo pulled up and said, 'Uber, Uber,'" prosecutors said.

After she got into the vehicle, he took her phone, then drove to Mansell Street and raped her while holding a sharp object to her neck.

The woman "felt blood on her hands and realized he had cut her in many locations," according to the District Attorney's Office. "She was able to escape the vehicle after being raped and dragged back into the car several times."

She ran to nearby Goettingen Street and banged on the door of a home, where the resident called 911.

DNA from the attack matched the previous rapes, prosecutors said.

Vilchez Lazo was taken into custody in July of 2018 when a San Francisco police undercover team saw a vehicle matching the description from the earlier incidents with a ride-hailing sticker on the rear, circling the area of Howard and Second streets without picking up any fares.

"These four survivors showed overwhelming courage and strength by coming to testify after all of these years and face the man that committed such horrendous acts," Assistant District Attorney Michele Brass said in a statement. "Their bravery and resilience to hold this defendant accountable was incredible."

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