Taxi Driver Found Guilty of Sexually Assaulting Passenger
Sandeep Arora, 48 (d.o.b. 6/14/1974) has been found guilty on multiple counts of sexual assault and abuse.
“WHILE THE MEMORIES OF THAT HORRIBLE ASSAULT MAY FADE WITH TIME, TIME CANNOT ERASE WHAT HAPPENED AS THE VICTIM IN THIS CASE IS NOW LEFT SUFFERING WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FALLOUT CAUSED BY MR. ARORA,” BERLIN STATED. “I COMMEND HER FOR HER STRENGTH AND COURAGE IN BRINGING THIS MATTER TO THE POLICE AND FOR HER ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE ORDEAL.”
NAPERVILLE - DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today that a taxicab driver has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a female customer in July, 2017. This afternoon, following a six-day-long bench trial, Judge Michael Reidy found Sandeep Arora, 48 (d.o.b. 6/14/1974) of Naperville, guilty of sexually assaulting the woman once he had her alone in his taxicab. In all, Reidy found Arora guilty of two counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault (Class X Felony), two counts of Criminal Sexual Assault (Class 1 Felony), one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse (Class 2 Felony) and one count of Criminal Sexual Abuse (Class 4 Felony).
On July 9, 2017, the victim left a Naperville establishment with a friend in a taxicab driven by Arora with the victim seated in the front passenger seat and the other individual seated in the back. After Arora dropped off the individual seated in the back, he drove away and then sexually assaulted the victim partially ripping off some of her clothing and leaving bruising and marks on her body. A short time later, Arora pulled his taxicab over and assaulted the victim a second time. After the victim was able to free herself from the taxicab, she ran away, called a friend and hid in some bushes while she waited for her friend to arrive. The victim went to the Naperville Police Department the following morning to report the assault. An investigation into the matter led authorities to Arora as the man who sexually assaulted the woman.
“Once alone with his victim, Sandeep Arora violently and repeatedly sexually assaulted her and only stopped when she was able to free herself and call for help,” Berlin said. “While the memories of that horrible assault may fade with time, time cannot erase what happened as the victim in this case is now left suffering with the psychological fallout caused by Mr. Arora. I commend her for her strength and courage in bringing this matter to the police and for her assistance throughout this entire ordeal. I thank Judge Reidy for holding Mr. Arora responsible for his abhorrent actions. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Jennifer Lindt and Mike Fisher for their work in securing today’s guilty finding against Mr. Arora.”
Arora’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 15, 2023 for sentencing. He faces a penalty of between twelve to sixty years to be served at 85% in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
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