Cuban Uber driver arrested on charges that could cost him freedom for life in Florida

A Cuban who worked as an Uber driver in Miami-Dade County was arrested in Doral accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a passenger, two first-degree felonies for which, if convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison under Florida law. This is documented by court records and the arrest report cited this Monday by WPLG Local 10 and NBC6 South Florida.

The suspect, Yusel Pérez Leyva, 42 years old and born in Cuba according to the report cited by Local 10, was arrested on June 18, 2026 and transferred to the Special Victims Office in Doral, where – according to the same document – he confessed having picked up the woman while she was working for Uber in Miami Beach and having had sexual relations with her while she was intoxicated. The charges are formal accusations; Pérez Leyva has the right to be presumed innocent until a court determines otherwise.

Editorial note: WPLG Local 10 published this case as note written in English and in Spanish, with the registration photo as main image. There is no Local 10 YouTube video report linked to this June 2026 arrest; The clip circulating on the platform about an Uber driver in downtown Miami corresponds to another case from October 2025. The surveillance footage cited in the police report has also not been released publicly.

What does the victim say and how the investigation reached the Doral apartment

According to the arrest report from the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office (MDSO) collected by Local 10 and NBC6, the woman went out partying the night of June 3 and remembers leaving a nightclub in Miami Beach in the early morning of June 4. On June 4 she contacted the agents and said that she believed she had been drugged, that she had lost consciousness and that she only remembered leaving the nightclub.

Hours later, she woke up at HCA Florida Palm Lakes Emergency in Hialeah (referred to in the media as Palm Lakes Hospital) with vaginal pain, which led her to believe she had been raped, according to the report. Detectives reviewed surveillance video that, according to the document, shows Pérez Leyva carrying the visibly intoxicated or incapacitated woman to an apartment at 7220 NW 179th St., near Miami Lakes, where she lived.

Confession, arrest and denial of bail

Agents detained Pérez Leyva shortly after 5:00 p.m. on June 18 in Doral. Corrections booked him at 1:10 a.m. on June 19 at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he remained on Monday without bail, according to Local 10.

On June 20 he appeared in bond court (bond court). A judge denied him bail, ordered his preventive detention and prohibited him from approaching the victim, according to court records cited by Local 10. The case was assigned to Circuit Judge Alberto Milian; The formal arraignment is scheduled for July 9, 2026 at 9:30 a.m.

The charges and why they talk about life imprisonment

Pérez Leyva faces two accusations of first degree serious crime:

• Kidnapping — with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment in Florida (Chapter 787, Florida Statutes).
• Sexual assault against a physically incapacitated or defenseless victim — punishable by up to 30 years in prison (§794.011, Florida Statutes). State law defines "physically helpless" as someone who is unconscious or unable to communicate that they do not consent.

If a jury finds him guilty of both charges with the maximum sentences, he could serve sentences that, in practice, are equivalent to spending the rest of his life in prison. Following any criminal conviction, the arrest report and court records cited by Local 10 indicate that he also faces an immigration hold by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which could lead to deportation proceedings once the criminal proceedings are resolved.

What Uber says

NBC6 released a statement from Uber in which the company notes that the driver was not using the platform at the time of the incident, that it is "deeply disturbed" by the report and that it has banned his access to the app. The company adds that it "takes the safety of our communities seriously" and is willing to collaborate with authorities. NBC6 indicated it has reached out to Uber for additional comment.

«While the driver was not using Uber at the time of the incident, we are deeply disturbed by this report and have banned him from the platform. Uber takes the safety of our communities seriously, and we stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation."

Context: security in transportation apps in South Florida

The case reignites the debate about the safety of passengers who use Uber and Lyft after leaving nightclubs in Miami Beach and the metropolitan area. Police reports do not detail whether the victim requested the trip through the app or if the encounter occurred in another way; Local 10 only indicates that Pérez Leyva told detectives that he was working as an Uber driver when he picked up the woman.

Authorities have not announced a trial date. Pérez Leyva remains in Miami-Dade County custody as the investigation continues. The hearing on July 9 will mark the next procedural milestone: there the charges will be formalized before the court and the calendar of the criminal case will be defined.

Chronology of the Yusel Pérez Leyva case (according to arrest report cited by Local 10 and NBC6)

Date	Done
June 3–4, 2026	Victim leaves a nightclub in Miami Beach; She believes she has been drugged and loses consciousness
Jun 4, 2026	Wake up at Palm Lakes Emergency (Hialeah); report the case to MDSO
Research	Surveillance video shows suspect taking woman to 7220 NW 179th St.
Jun 18, 2026	Detention in Doral; confession before the Office of Special Victims
Jun 19, 2026	Admission to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center
Jun 20, 2026	Bond court: no bail, removal of the victim, preventive detention
Jul 9, 2026	Arraignment before Judge Alberto Milian (9:30)