No one helped teenager who was sexually assaulted on Muni bus, prosecutor says

Muni buses travel on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. A biennial city survey of San Francisco residents gives Muni an overall grade of B-. (Photo by Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A San Francisco man was convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl on a Muni train in 2023, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office said Friday. Other bus drivers witnessed the assault and did not intervene, the district attorney’s office said.

The crime occurred on May 4, 2023 on the J Church Line. The 16-year-old victim was on her way home from school when Iman Session, 39, began masturbating next to her, exposing his genitals.

Session then put his arm around the victim’s neck and tried to force her head toward his groin. Although the victim resisted, no one intervened. Session later got off the bus.

The victim and her father reported the attack to the San Francisco Police Department and Session was arrested on June 6.

“It is because of the courage of the survivors that we were able to obtain justice in this case,” said Assistant District Attorney Tanisha Gooch. “Children should feel safe on public transportation. We will not tolerate this behavior in our city.”

Session was convicted of attempted forced oral copulation of a child, false imprisonment, child molestation and disclosure of the incident. He must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Session is currently in custody and faces up to five years in prison. The verdict will be announced on June 5.