Inside ‘John Pastor-Mendoza Charged With Prolific $exual Abuse’ Authorities are concerned that there may be further victims of a ride-share driver in Colorado who is accused of abusing women on a regular basis.
The Denver District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday that John Pastor-Mendoza, 41, attacked 10 different women in incidents from 2018 to 2022.
John Pastor-Mendoza Charged With Prolific $exual Abuse
“Pastor-Mendoza allegedly responded as the driver when the women used a ride-sharing app to request a ride,” the statement said. “Prosecutors claim that he would either $exually assault his female victims in his vehicle or take them to his home and assault them there. On July 21, 2022, Denver police received a CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) match from evidence collected from three victims linking Pastor-Mendoza to the alleged $exual assaults.”
Carolyn Tyler, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, said Pastor-Mendoza is a ride-share driver, though she did not confirm for which company.
The redacted arrest warrant described several instances in which women took apparent ride-share vehicles. Authorities did not describe the associated ride-share company in each instance but noted that some other people knew Pastor-Mendoza as a Lyft driver.
Lyft did not immediately respond to a Law&Crime request for comment.
“Based on the information provided in the affidavit, the suspect has never used the Uber platform to drive and has NEVER been a driver,” Uber spokesperson Navideh Forghani said in an email.
Pastor-Mendoza faces 41 felony counts:
- 10 counts of kidnapping his victim to commit a $exual offense
- eight counts of $exual assault
- four counts of $exual assault
- six counts of attempted $exual assault
- twelve counts of attempted $exual assault
- one count of robbery
Prosecutors Noted 10 Incidents:
September 16, 2018 – The Matchbox, 2625 Larimer Street
December 29 – 30, 2018 – Beta Nightclub, 1909 Blake Street
March 9, 2019 – LoDo area
March 17, 2019 – LoDo’s Bar and Grill, 1946 Market Street
July 27, 2019 – Neon Baby, 1942 Market Street
August 15, 2021 – The Irish Rover Pub, 54 South Broadway
September 23, 2021- Speer Boulevard & 13th Street
March 4, 2022 – Tracks Denver, 3500 Walnut Street
May 13 – 14, 2022 – Tracks Denver, 3500 Walnut Street
July 8 – 9, 2022 – Tracks Denver, 3500 Walnut Street
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The woman described in the arrest warrant described blacking out after drinking alcohol. They allegedly woke up in either a residence or vehicle and encountered a man. Suspect descriptions were roughly consistent: details included him being Hispanic or Latino with short or curly hair and ranging in age from about 35 to his 40s. He spoke with an accent, the women said.
One woman described him as standing 5 feet, 5 inches. Another said he was overweight.
The alleged victim of the March 4, 2022 incident said she remembered drinking but not enough to cause a blackout or amnesia.
“The victim blacked out and woke up in a bed in an unknown apartment with the suspect who was touching the victim,” authorities said about the woman linked to the Sept. 16, 2018 allegation.
The women described losing intimate personal items, usually phones and underwear.
When performing a search of Pastor-Mendoza’s home, authorities allegedly discovered a cardboard box with 18 phones.
Several victims reported injuries. The March 4 victim said she “became aware that great force had been used against her by the suspect during the assault, and she believed she had been in a struggle.” Authorities redacted her injuries.
Another woman connected to an allegation from July 9, 2020, said she had bruises on her arms and torso.
“She did not suspect that she was given any drug other than alcohol on that night,” authorities said.
Denver police ask that anyone with information or who is a possible victim to call (720) 913-2000.
