Former Uber Driver Going To Jail, Ordered To Register As Sex Offender In Kidnapping Case
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The former Uber driver found guilty of kidnapping and assaulting a passenger while off-duty was sentenced in the Allegheny County Courthouse on Monday.
Soumana Dao, 32, was sentenced 364 days in jail, including four months already served. He will also serve five years of probation, and 15 years as a registered sex offender.
His defense attorney Blaine Jones said this is a lot less than he could have served.
"Which is a very good sentence in light of the fact that on a first-degree felony, he was facing a maximum of 20 years," Jones said after leaving the courtroom.
Dao was convicted on kidnapping charges from a 2017 incident, where he was charged with assaulting a woman when he was an off-duty Uber driver.
Police said the victim requested an Uber and he picked her up. Then, he began to touch her inappropriately. Authorities say Dao took the victim to his house where police said he tried to pull her out of the car. That's when a neighbor stepped in and got her away from Dao.
"He maintains he's innocent, but we respect the decision of the court," Jones said.
Dao, who is from West Africa, apologized to the court and said, "I did not come to the United States to commit crimes."
The Commonwealth said the victim did not want to come to court because she's been through so much related to the case. They said she has been unable to work or to go to school since it happened.
Jones said his client plans to return to West Africa after he is released from jail.
"However, if he goes back to West Africa where's he from, the authorities in West Africa will probably not respect the 15 year Megan's Law registry," he said inside the Allegheny County Courthouse.
As part of Dao's sentencing, he is not allowed to work for any ride-sharing company.