Uber driver indicted for kidnapping teenage girl in New York
15-year old girl fled the driver by tricking him to stop at McDonald’s
A teenager escaped an alleged kidnapping from her Uber driver by tricking him into stopping at McDonald’s. Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced today that an Uber driver was arraigned on a grand jury indictment for allegedly kidnapping a 15-year-old girl.
Sean Williams, 32, of Brooklyn, was arraigned on Tuesday before Judge Felice Muraca and charged with Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Kidnapping in the Second Degree as a Sexually Motivated Felony, Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree. The defendant’s bail status was continued at $150,000 bond or $75,000 cash and he is due back in court on 18 September. If convicted of the top count, he faces a maximum of up to 25 years in prison. District Attorney Singas said: “The family of a 15-year old girl relied on a car service to get their daughter home safely after she attended a Sweet Sixteen party, but the defendant allegedly kidnapped her and wanted to sexually assault her after giving her alcohol. “The girl was terrorized by the defendant’s alleged behavior and bravely took action to contact police and free herself.” The District Attorney said that on 12 July, at approximately 11:15 p.m., the defendant, an Uber driver, picked up a 15-year-old girl from a Sweet 16 in Atlantic Beach. The agreed-upon route was from Long Beach to Merrick, but the defendant allegedly cancelled the route while still in Long Beach and attempted to convince the minor to go drinking with him. It is also alleged that the defendant wanted the 15-year old girl to go to his home in Brooklyn where he intended to sexually assault her. The victim refused, told the defendant she was only 15 and asked him multiple times to take her home, but the defendant allegedly continued driving in the wrong direction. After reaching Brooklyn, the victim was able to convince the defendant that she had to use the bathroom at which point he pulled over, and she ran into a McDonald’s on Linden Boulevard to call the police. The defendant allegedly followed her into the McDonald’s but ran away before police arrived. Following an investigation, the defendant was arrested by Nassau County Police Department outside of his Brooklyn home on 16 July. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry of DA Singas’ Special Victims Bureau is prosecuting this case. Steven Gaitman, Esq. represents the defendant. The Nassau County District Attorney say charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
Image credit: Nassau County District Attorney
