Texas rideshare driver charged with sexual abuse of child

PLANO, Texas – Plano police have arrested a 31-year-old ride-share driver for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old ride-share user.

According to police, Robert Johnson, a 31-year-old man, was driving a rideshare service and picked up a 12-year-old female passenger in Frisco, Texas, around 2 p.m. on July 9. During the ride, Johnson stopped in the 4200 block of Legacy Drive in Plano and sexually assaulted the child, police said.

On July 10, the child told his mother about the assault and a police report was filed, according to Plano police. On July 12, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Johnson on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child.

Following an investigation by the Plano Police Department’s Special Victims Unit, Johnson was taken into custody on July 15, police said.

Johnson is currently being held at the Collin County Jail in McKinney.

Plano Police urge any additional victims to come forward and contact our SVU Tip Line at 972-941-2044 or [email protected].

The Plano Police Department has released the following strategies for safely using rideshare services:

• Follow your intuition. If you feel uncomfortable with your driver or unsafe, trust your intuition and call 911.

• Do not give your driver any personal information, such as the reason for your journey to your destination.

• Share your ride. Some ride-sharing services allow you to share your ride status with a friend or family member so they can track your location in real time.

• Check your vehicle. Before getting in, make sure the driver, car and license plate match the information in the app.

• Have the driver confirm your name. Before you get in the car, ask the driver to confirm your name instead of telling him.

• Stay in the back seat. Especially if you are driving alone, sitting in the back seat can help you exit safely and give you some privacy.