BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A Baltimore County man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for kidnapping and raping a woman after he offered her a ride in his car, Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger said Wednesday.
Brandon Saunders, 31, was found guilty of first-degree rape, first-degree assault, and kidnapping in November 2021.
READ MORE: Pasadena Teen Awaits Transplant After Kidneys FailOn July 28, 2019 about 3 a.m., the victim flagged down Saunders, who was operating as a “hack,” or unlicensed cab driver.
The woman got into Saunders’ car. But instead of taking her to her end destination, he took her to a parking lot behind Loch Raven High School in Baltimore County.
“Saunders then assaulted the victim, threatened her life and raped her,” prosecutors said.
READ MORE: Maryland Weather: Sunny & WarmThe woman was able to escape when Saunders went to the trunk of his car to get a weapon. She ran through a wooded area and onto I-695, which is where she was able to flag down a passing motorist for help.
Investigators determined DNA recovered from the victim matched DNA from another rape victim in Baltimore City, Shellenberger’s office said. In each incident, Saunders offered the victim a ride home before raping her.
After arresting Saunders, police obtained his DNA, which “matched the evidence recovered from the victim,” prosecutors said.
MORE NEWS: Baltimore County Police Search For Missing 12-Year-Old GirlSaunders was arrested in July 2020 and charged in both cases. His trial in the Baltimore City case is scheduled for March, according to court records.