Jorge Tapiacastro, a 46-year-old former Lyft driver, got only eight years in prison for raping a woman who had paid him to take her home, almost two years ago. Tapiacastro was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 1. He was convicted back on July 28 of felonies including rape, rape, sexual battery and false imprisonment charges.
The victim, whose name has been withheld, was taken to a friend’s home in Costa Mesa, by her husband, on August 31, 2019. She proceeded to drink four or five vodka sodas with a few of her friends, according to the prosecutors.
The victim and two of her friends then took an Uber ride to the Bungalow bar in Huntington Beach at about 9:30 p.m. She then drank three to five more vodka sodas.
The victim used the Lyft app on her smart phone at about 12:30 a.m. to get a ride home. Tapiacastro picked her up at about 12:50 a.m. However he pulled over to the side of the road about a half-mile from her home, in Orange, then got into the backseat with the victim, who by then had passed out.
Tapiacastro told the victim that she was “beautiful” then he sexually assaulted her, according to the prosecutors. He then got out and she also exited the vehicle before Tapiacastro drove off and left her there.
The victim’s husband was able to find her at around La Veta Avenue and Glassell Street in Orange and then took her home. He later took her to a hospital.
The victim’s blood-alcohol level was .131 and DNA evidence found on her linked Tapiacastro to the assault, sealing his fate.
