Two men have been arrested in connections with sexual assault attempts Tucson police say relied on them convincing women they were ride-share service drivers.
Abdifatah Muktar, 23, and Berhan Hiabu, 22, face multiple charges, including kidnapping and conspiracy to commit sexual assault from two separate incidents.
In the first incident, Muktar picked up a woman who ordered a ride-share service to get home, a Tucson Police Department news release Friday night said.
After taking the woman home, Muktar claimed there was a mess in his vehicle, He told the woman she would be banned from using the service unless she paid to clean the mess.
The woman went with Muktar to a car wash but requested to return home when she didn't find a mess.
Muktar declined the request, and instead offered her another service driver to take her back. He then called Hiabu to their location, police say.
Hiabu took the woman to a secluded area where he tried to sexually assault her, the news release said. The woman escaped and called police.
In a second incident, a woman requested a ride home by using a ride-share service. Hiabu, posing a driver, offered a free ride when he saw her waiting by the road.
Police say he took the woman to a secluded area and tried to sexually assault her,
The woman got away and called police.
Muktar and Hiabu were booked at the Pima County jail.
Muktar faces charges of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit sexual assault.
Hiabu faces charges of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, two counts of attempted sexual assault and conspiracy to commit sexual assault.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.
