Abdoulaye Dia charged with rape and kidnapping in Maryland

Abdoulaye Dia, a 36-year-old ride-sharing driver for the platform Empower, has been charged with first-degree rape, kidnapping, second-degree assault, and third-degree sexual assault in Maryland.

According to the Montgomery County Police Department, the incident occurred on September 15, 2026, when Dia allegedly drove a minor to a parking lot in Silver Spring where the assault took place. Investigators identified Dia using data from the ride-sharing application. He was arrested in Lanham on September 16 and is currently being held without bond at the Montgomery County Detention Center.

Authorities have expressed concern that there may be additional victims. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that Dia, originally from Guinea, reportedly entered the United States illegally near Lukeville, Arizona, in 2023. Records also indicate he was apprehended in New York in June on separate allegations of sexual assault.