A McHenry County Judge found a 29-year-old former Uber driver guilty of sexually abusing a woman during an Uber ride and trying to promote her into prostitution in 2017.
Ahmed R. Tawfeeq, 29, of the 1100 block of Braeburn Drive in Elgin, was found guilty by Judge Robert Wilbrandt of attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery, unlawful restraint and promoting prostitution, following a bench trial.
Prosecutors said that Tawfeeq, who was working as an Uber driver, gave the victim a ride on June 16, 2017 from her job in Elgin to her home in Prairie Grove, which is a small town northeast of Crystal Lake in Nunda Township.
The woman testified at trial that Tawfeeq stopped the Uber ride early and pulled into the parking lot of a homeowner’s association where he began to sexually assault her.
Tawfeeq’s bond was revoked after he was found guilty. He is being held in the McHenry County Jail and will be sentenced on December 19 by Judge Robert Wilbrandt.
Court documents also show that Tawfeeq was charged with solicitation of a witness after he offered to pay $6,000 to another man to “harm, threaten, or kidnap” a woman who was expected to testify against Tawfeeq.
The investigation was led by Deputy Chief Michael Freese of the Prairie Grove Police Department and the case was prosecuted by Mary Ann Scholl and Taylor Nesbit of the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.