Denver Lyft driver who kidnapped, sexually assaulted passengers gets 290 years to life
John Edgar Pastor-Mendoza, 43, was sentenced Friday for the kidnapping and sexual assaults of numerous women.
admin
A Denver Lyft driver will likely spend the rest of his life in prison after he was sentenced Friday for kidnapping and sexually assaulting numerous women, according to prosecutors and court records.
John Edgar Pastor-Mendoza, 43, was found guilty in October of 30 charges, including kidnapping a dozen women, sexually assaulting two and attempting to sexually assault seven others.
Police said Pastor-Mendoza targeted intoxicated women and posed as their assigned ride home before attacking them, in some cases stealing property such as their underwear and cellphones.
On Friday, Denver District Court Judge Karen Brody sentenced Pastor-Mendoza to between 290 years and life in prison.
“Judge Brody’s severe sentence is entirely appropriate,” Denver District Attorney John Walsh said in a news release.
“Pastor-Mendoza victimized 12 women in a calculated, cruel and contemptible series of crimes over four years. … We should all be grateful for the courage of Pastor-Mendoza’s victims, who came forward and testified at trial to ensure that Pastor-Mendoza will no longer have the opportunity to harm our community.”
Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day.
