Uber driver suspected of San Luis Obispo rapes charged with 10 felonies.

Uber driver suspected of San Luis Obispo rapes charged with 10 felonies

Posted: Jan 22, 2018 11:24 AM PSTUpdated: Jan 22, 2018 8:16 PM PST

By KSBY Staff

CONNECT

The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office has filed 10 felony charges against an Uber driver suspected of sexually assaulting at least four women in San Luis Obispo. The DA says there could be more victims in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

Alfonso Alarcon-Nunez, 39, was arrested at his Santa Maria home last week. The DA's Office says he has been identified as an undocumented immigrant. The DA's Office adds he was voluntarily deported from New Mexico back in 2005.

He faces multiple charges each of rape of an intoxicated victim, first-degree burglary, and oral copulation of an intoxicated victim, plus assault with the intent to commit a sex offense, forcible rape, and grand theft. 

"Predators like we have in this case, can come and beat the actual driver to the scene, pick up the unsuspected person, and take them to their homes and like we had here happen," said Dan Dow, SLO County District Attorney.

On Monday, Alarcon-Nunez was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to all 10 felony charges.

The DA's Office says there are four known victims, all women between the ages of 19 and 22. Three attend Cal Poly. The other attends Cuesta College. The alleged crimes are said to have occurred on Dec. 17, 2017; Jan. 5, 2018; and Jan. 14, 2018.

Alfonso Alarcon-Nunez

Detectives say Alarcon-Nunez would search for parties and solicit rides as an Uber driver, targeting intoxicated women. Police say he would then drive the women to their homes, assault them, and steal property from them, including cell phones, computers, and jewelry. Investigators say he would collect payment through Venmo to disguise his identity and his Uber records.

The DA's Office says Alarcon-Nunez has also gone by the name "Bruno Diaz" and his Venmo username was "Brush Bat."

Investigators encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Alarcon-Nunez or knows someone who may have been a victim to contact Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP.

"We actually have evidence that we've obtained in this case, some forensic cyber evidence with information that causes us to know that there are other victims out here," Dow said.

Alarcon-Nunez's preliminary hearing is set for January 29th. His bail is set at $1,470,000.

The District Attorney says he was issued a valid driver's license back in 2015.

KSBY reached out to Uber and a Uber Spokeswoman provided this statement: 

"What police have reported is absolutely horrifying, and something no person should ever have to experience. We have been working with law enforcement to provide them with information for their investigation, and the driver has been permanently removed from the app."