LI Man Gets 25 Years After Posing As Ride-Share Driver, Abusing Women

BAY SHORE, NY — A Bay Shore man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to posing as a ride-share driver and sexually abusing several women while they were unconscious, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Raul Guaman, 44, of Bay Shore, was charged with first-degree criminal sexual act; sexually-motivated burglary, burglary, sexual abuse, unlawful surveillance; and failing to stop at a stop sign, said prosecutors said. He pleaded guilty June 16, Tierney said.

While investigating a residential burglary and sexual abuse in Brightwaters, police recovered a home surveillance video. The video showed that on Nov. 14, 2021, Guaman tried to break in to the home and showed his vehicle parked nearby, prosecutors said.

Four days later, Guaman was interviewed by the Suffolk County Police Department about the burglary.

He then admitted that he had broken into the home, entered a bedroom and sexually abused a female victim as she slept, prosecutors said. Guaman allowed police to search his cell phone during questioning, Tierney said. The search revealed photographs of the drivers licenses of young women as well as videos, some dating to 2015, of Guaman engaging in sex acts with unconscious females, prosecutors said.

Law enforcement also seized 32 cell phones and 16 driver's licenses belonging to women, Tierney said.

Investigators found Guaman posed as a ride-share driver and picked up women before sexually abusing them, prosecutors said.

“Over and over again, this defendant preyed upon young women simply seeking safe passage home after a night out,” said Tierney. “Now, thanks to the great work of the prosecution team, he has been held responsible for his actions and will spend the next 25 years in jail, where he will be
unable to prey upon vulnerable victims.”

He was later arrested and indicted Nov. 30, 2021.

During his plea, Guaman also admitted to several uncharged crimes of a similar nature, prosecutors said.

A condition of the plea was that Guaman consent to an order requiring him to undergo HIV testing.