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32-year-old cab driver accused of raping 12-year-old girl

Police have arrested and charged a 32-year-old cab driver accused of raping a 12-year-old girl.

News 12 Staff

Aug 12, 2020, 8:43 PM

Updated 1,591 days ago

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Police have arrested and charged a 32-year-old cab driver accused of raping a 12-year-old girl.
Police charged Rafael Martinez, and now community leaders are calling on Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and City Hall to revoke any bail opportunities Martinez may have.
Police say Martinez's charges are rape, criminal sex act, sex abuse, endangering the welfare of a child, menacing and assault.
Police tell News 12 that the 12-year-old's parents ordered her a cab from Evelyn Car Service, an independent company, to take her from Myrtle and Classon avenues to Ralph Avenue and Fulton Street around 6 p.m. Monday.
The girl says the cab driver parked the car, entered the rear of the vehicle and raped her.
News 12 is told the driver then drove the 12-year-old victim to her original destination.
The DA's office tells News 12 they will be asking for bail at Martinez' arraignment, though the amount issued is the judge's decision. The DA does not have the authority to revoke that call.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission says Martinez was operating illegally, but his former boss says he had a license as far as she knew.
The car service has since been closed and the owner says she has been receiving death threats. She says she has been relying on TLC to conduct any and all background checks, saying Martinez did have a license.
TLC Spokesman Allan J. Fromberg said in a statement, “TLC requires all drivers and car services to undertake extensive, fingerprint-based background checks. TLC immediately commenced an investigation upon learning that Mr. Martinez was arrested and found that he does not hold a TLC license and had not undergone TLC's extensive licensing process, and was operating illegally. TLC will pursue maximum penalties, within its authority, for all offending parties.”