Uber driver sentenced to 46 years to life for rape, burglary involving 5 Central Coast women
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. - San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow announced that a former Uber driver has been sentenced to 45 years to life in prison, plus 8 years and 8 months, for numerous crimes against five women he had driven home.
42-year-old Alfonso Alarcon-Nunez was found guilty of 13 felonies in March including three counts of assault with the intent to commit rape during a residential burglary, four counts of burglary of an occupied residence, one count of rape by force, two counts of rape of an intoxicated individual, one count of oral copulation of an intoxicated individual, one count of assault with intent to commit rape and one count of grand theft.
These crimes were reportedly committed between July 2017 and January 2018 while Alarcon-Nunez served as a driver in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
The DA's Office said four of the five victims were local college students.
Dow explained that three of these courageous survivors provided powerful statements to the court describing the impact these crimes had on their lives.
One 19-year-old survivor reportedly said she used to live in “the happiest place in America” until being victimized in her own home. She noted that this conviction and sentencing provides a “chance for justice.” Another survivor applauded the support of her family and others in helping her heal, concluding that she is “a good person with a bright future” who refuses to let the defendant’s cowardly actions control her life. One final survivor credited her family and counselor with providing support and a degree of comfort in knowing that she is not alone.
The jury reached their verdict after nearly two weeks of testimony and one-half days of deliberation.
“We acknowledge the courage of these five survivors in providing the testimony and evidence necessary to achieve justice,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “Their voices were heard loud and clear by this jury. The defendant’s predatory actions decisively illustrate that he is not safe to be out in the community, and with his imprisonment, he will be unable to victimize anyone again.”
Alarcon-Nunez was arrested in January 2018 and entered a not guilty plea. During a press conference later that month, Dow stated that Alarcon-Nunez was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico and had been voluntarily deported from New Mexico in 2005.
