Corona Lyft driver sentenced after sexually assaulting passenger

Queens Criminal Court. Eagle file photo by Andy Katz.

By Victoria Merlino

A Corona Lyft driver was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday for sexually assaulting a female passenger who had fallen asleep during a ride to her home. 

Welinton Fernandez, 31, was convicted in November 2019 of a criminal sexual act and sexual abuse at trial before Acting Supreme Court Justice Stephanie Zaro. 

According to testimony, the victim ordered a Lyft to take her home after meeting up with friends at a Flushing bar on Jan. 6, 2018. Fernandez picked her up around 4:50 a.m. to take her to her home, which was four miles away from the bar. She fell asleep on the way, and woke up to Fernandez sexually assaulting her. Her pants and underwear had been pulled down. She left the vehicle and ran into her home. 

In addition to his prison sentence, Fernandez will have eight years of post-release supervision, and is required to register as a sex offender. 

 “A woman who’d called for a car, thought she would safely make it to her home. Instead, the unsuspecting woman was violated by this defendant, who was found guilty by a jury of his peers,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.