Uber Driver Accused of Sexually Assaulting Passenger as Police Search for More Victims

A Denver rideshare driver was arrested in March for allegedly sexually assaulting a passenger over a year and a half earlier. Now, police think there might be other victims.

Nesrelah Bedru Kemal, 24, was arrested on March 11 and charged with two counts of non-consensual sexual contact and one count of false imprisonment, the Denver Police Department announced on Thursday. The charges stem from an assault on July 31, 2022, according to records from the Denver District Attorney's Office.

Kemal, then 22, was working as an Uber driver when he picked up an adult female passenger in Denver, according to the arrest affidavit. Kemal asked the passenger to sit in the front seat, saying the back seat was broken. He then allegedly repeatedly groped her breasts and genitals during the ride.

When they arrived at the passenger's destination in Greenwood Village, Kemal allegedly pulled into a back parking lot and leaned his body onto the victim while groping and trying to kiss her. The victim said she repeatedly told Kemal to stop and was eventually able to run out of his car and call a friend for help. After the incident, Kemal reportedly looked the victim up on Facebook and sent her a message, which helped identify him to police.

It is unclear why it took police so long to arrest Kemal or whether he continued working as a rideshare driver after the assault in July 2022. A spokesperson for Uber did not respond to inquiries about when Kemal worked as a driver, only confirming that he began driving for the platform in 2022.

“This behavior has no place in our society or on the Uber platform," the spokesperson says. "We take reports of this nature seriously and have been in touch with law enforcement to assist in their investigation.”

Just two months ago, a different rideshare worker — Lyft driver Shengfu Wu — was sentenced to nine years in prison for raping a thirteen-year-old passenger in Aurora. Wu, 38, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and second-degree assault for the attack, which occurred in May 2023.

Police say Kemal may have been involved in "other incidents" while working as a rideshare driver, requesting any additional victims to come forward.

This is the latest of several local sexual-assault cases in which police have issued calls for additional victims. In the past, these calls have uncovered serial predators, such as Dr. Stephen Matthews of Denver, who was arrested in March 2023 when a woman said he drugged and sexually assaulted her. After the news broke, twelve more victims came forward.

"Investigators determine when a call goes out to potential victims on a case-by-case basis," says a Denver Police spokesperson. "Generally, if there is any information or indication that there may be other victims that have not come forward, investigators request to send information out to the community to potentially find other victims that may want to come forward."

Anyone who believes they may have also been victimized by Kemal is encouraged to call the Denver Police Sex Crimes Unit at 720-913-6040.

Here's a collection of other Colorado sexual-assault cases from this year, for which police are still seeking additional victims:

Jay Bianchi, Denver
The 55-year-old former owner of multiple Grateful Dead-inspired bars was arrested on April 16 in connection with three separate cases related to sexual misconduct in 2020 and 2024. Bianchi was charged with six felony counts of sexual assault and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful sexual contact. Contact the Denver Police Sex Crimes Unit at 720-913-6040.

Brian Junglen, Fountain

The 41-year-old former El Paso County sheriff's deputy was arrested on June 12 for suspected sexual exploitation of children, according to the Fountain Police Department. KOAA reported that Junglen allegedly had fifteen to twenty photos of child pornography. Contact Detective Tori Slater at 719-382-4288 or [email protected], or to remain anonymous, call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 719-634-7867.

Deangelo Terry, Colorado Springs

Terry, 24, was arrested for sexual assault on a child. He allegedly made inappropriate contact with a juvenile inside of a store on May 16. Terry had previously been arrested for attempted sexual assault on a child in February 2023, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department. Contact the police department at 719-444-7000, or to remain anonymous, call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 719-634-7867.

Cole Cordova, Colorado Springs

Cordova, 31, is accused of breaking into a Colorado Springs home and exposing himself to a minor who was inside on April 12. Police are looking for victims of two additional incidents involving Cordova in the Briargate Parkway and Union Boulevard area on April 6, plus any potential unreported incidents. Contact the police department at 719-444-7000, or to remain anonymous, call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 719-634-7867.

Tyler Jordan Ried, Denver

Ried, 32, was arrested on March 7 for allegedly assaulting women at two migrant shelter hotels in January, KDVR reported. He was charged with felony sexual assault, felony menacing, misdemeanor unlawful sexual contact and four counts of indecent exposure, according to the Denver Police Department. Contact the Denver Police Sex Crimes Unit at 720-913-6040.

Arben “Ben" Duka, Aurora

The sixty-year-old businessman was arrested on March 15 for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on October 10, 2023, when she provided a urinalysis sample at his business, Aurora Employment Testing, previously called Wiz Quiz Employment Testing. Aurora police say two other female victims have since come forward with similar accusations against Duka. Contact 720-913-7867 and reference case number AP23-202838.

Jerricho Joseph Esquivel, Aurora/Thornton

In February, the Aurora Police Department began searching for additional victims of 22-year-old Esquivel after he was arrested for allegedly holding a woman at gunpoint and sexually assaulting her on November 21, 2022. Police believe he may be the perpetrator of a similar attack on October 22, 2022. Contact 720-913-7867 and reference Aurora case number AP22-321480 or Adams County Sheriff’s Office case number 22-17108.

Troy Deck, Colorado Springs

Deck, 54, was charged in January in connection with thirteen incidents of sexual assault and invasion of privacy, including repeated instances of "peeping Tom" trespassing for sexual gratification, stalking and sexual assault, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported. Contact the police department at 719-444-7000, or to remain anonymous, call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 719-634-7867.

Adrian Alamillo-Gonzales, Denver

Denver police called for victims of Alamillo-Gonzales, forty, in January, ten months after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman after he picked her up outside of a downtown bar by posing as a rideshare driver. In another incident from October 2022, he allegedly forced a woman into his car and fought with her for several blocks before letting her go. Contact the Denver Police Sex Crimes Unit at 720-913-6040.