An illegal migrant convicted of kidnapping and raping four women in San Francisco after pretending to be their ride-share driver will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Orlando Vilchez Lazo is facing 100 years to life behind bars for a string of felonies including kidnapping, kidnapping with intent to commit rape, rape by force or fear, and sexual penetration with a foreign object from the sickening attacks between 2013 and 2018, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Friday.
“Justice has finally been served,” Jenkins said. “Mr. Vilchez Lazo is now being held accountable for these heinous crimes.”
Orlando Vilchez Lazo, 44, will spend the rest of his life behind bars. San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images The 44-year-old Peruvian national, who was arrested in July 2018, preyed on his victims by placing Uber and Lyft stickers on his car and waiting outside bars and nightclubs — targeting young women who mistook him for their actual ride.
Vilchez Lazo committed the first reported sexual assault in 2013, when he picked up a 21-year-old college student from a bar, drove her to an isolated area and raped her, according to the DA’s office.
The second victim, 22, was leaving a nightclub with her friend in February 2018 when their ride-share driver canceled on them, prosecutors said. Vilchez Lazo then pulled up and offered to drive them instead.
Both women got into the car, but about a block away from the club, Vilchez Lazo told the victim’s friend to get out and buy water — and then he sped off to “violently rape” the woman, prosecutors said.
In May 2018, another 22-year-old was attacked after Vilchez Lazo falsely claimed to be her driver. Prosecutors said he stole her phone and threatened her with a metal object when she screamed for help.
The final reported incident occurred in June 2018, when a 21-year-old woman got in his car as he shouted “Uber, Uber,” leading her to believe he was her ride.
The fake ride-share driver was convicted of 11 felonies. AP He placed a sharp object to her neck and slashed her on different places around her body during the rape, according to prosecutors.
Vilchez Lazo was finally arrested about a month later by an undercover surveillance team that matched his car to the victims’ descriptions.
Vilchez Lazo never worked for Uber, the company said. He did work for Lyft, but lied about his immigration status to get the job, according to the company.
Vilchez Lazo entered the US illegally, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has said.
The criminal case was pushed back for years because of several postponements and legal hurdles involving DNA evidence as investigators tried to piece together the horrific events. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
“These four survivors showed overwhelming courage and strength by coming to testify after all of these years and face the man that committed such horrendous acts,” Assistant DA Michele Brass said.
“Their bravery and resilience to hold this defendant accountable was incredible. I am so impressed with these four women who have become so successful in their lives despite living with this trauma.”
Lyft and Uber did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
