Alleged San Mateo Rapist Caught After Months-Long Investigation

SAN MATEO, CA — A man who allegedly picked up a woman in his car while posing as a ride-share driver in San Mateo — then took her to a secluded area to rape her — has been caught, more than two months after the incident, police announced this week.

Forty-year-old Brandon Sherman of San Jose was arrested on Thursday in connection with the Aug. 14 assault, according to the San Mateo Police Department. He was booked into the San Mateo County jail on suspicion of several felonies, including kidnapping with the intent to sexually assault, rape, and assault with a deadly weapon.

Police say Sherman picked the victim up around State Route 92 and Grant Street while posing as an Uber driver.

"The victim stated seeing both Uber and Lyft stickers on the windshield," police said in a news release. "The victim reported the suspect drove her to a secluded area and sexually assaulted her."

The woman "was able to escape" the man's custody and flagged down a passerby, who called police for help.

"San Mateo Police Detectives quickly assumed the investigation and began working the case with very limited information and a traumatized victim," police said of the case.

Eventually, detectives obtained surveillance footage from area businesses and spotted an image of the vehicle Sherman was allegedly driving during the assault, police said.

"Multiple search warrants were authored on various companies to include Uber and Lyft," police said. "Our detectives filtered through over 1,100 potential suspect vehicles, matching the description, and narrowed it down to 5 potential leads."

From those five leads, police determined the suspect vehicle was a 2010 Toyota Matrix.

"Detectives complied information from the victim’s statement, the sketch of the suspect, information collected from search warrants, and developed a profile which lead to the identity of the suspect..." police said. "Sherman was also later positively identified by the victim as the suspect that sexually assaulted her."

On Thursday morning, detectives tracked Sherman down and arrested him during a traffic stop — driving the same Toyota believe to be used in the incident, police said. Authorities then served a search warrant at the man's home and "evidence was collected additionally linking Sherman to the crime."

Police said they are continuing to investigate the case, and it's not yet clear if he is responsible for additional crimes.

Anyone who may have information about this case was asked to call San Mateo police at (650) 522-7700.

— Image via San Mateo Police Department