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In a case reflecting broader concerns about passenger safety in the rideshare industry, a former Uber driver has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a passenger in Bangor, Maine. Joseph Graston, 28, of Milo, was convicted by a judge on charges of Class C unlawful sexual contact and Class D unlawful sexual touching. The verdict was handed down on Thursday following a bench trial presided over by Justice Bruce Mallonee in Penobscot County, Bangor Daily News reported Friday.
The incident occurred in early June 2022. According to police reports, the victim had been celebrating a life event at a Bangor nightclub and became intoxicated. She used Uber to get home and later contacted police the next morning to report that she believed she had been assaulted by the driver.
“This was the right verdict,” said Deputy District Attorney Chelsea Lynds, who prosecuted the case. “People should know that taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable position has consequences.”
Graston’s sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
This case marks the first known incident in the Bangor region tied to the growing number of Uber-related sexual assault reports. Uber has faced hundreds of lawsuits across the country over driver misconduct. In California, 1,600 federal sexual assault lawsuits against Uber have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation (MDL), with a similar number of cases pending in various state courts. These lawsuits allege that Uber failed to implement proper safety protocols, background checks, or effective reporting mechanisms to prevent such incidents from occurring.
In addition to the Uber sexual assault MDL, more than 1,000 similar cases are pending in state courts throughout the country. To learn more about Uber sexual assault litigation, visit our comprehensive coverage page here.
SurvivorsRights.com continues to track developments in rideshare safety and legal action. Survivors who have experienced similar incidents are encouraged to speak with an attorney to better understand their legal options.
