On November 5^th, 2020 suspect Anmol Prasad (35 year old male; resident of Lathrop, Ca; long-haul truck driver) was sentenced to fifteen years and four months State Prison behind his involvement in a series of rapes/forced sexual assaults which occurred between 2015-2016.  The investigation involved detectives from Fremont PD, Oakland PD, Richmond PD, Alameda County Sheriff’s Department, Portland (Oregon) PD and Renton (Washington) PD who worked together to bring justice to the five victims affected.  

Initial case summary (Case #1):

On May 2nd, 2016 suspect Anmol Prasad contacted a 20-year-old female who had posted an ad for prostitution on the internet.  Thru text messages, the two arranged to meet in front of the 7-11 store located in the 39900 block of Farwell Dr in Fremont, Ca. 

Once the victim arrived, she entered Prasad’s vehicle.  Prasad drove out of the area, parked and began to negotiate the sex act.  During their contact, Prasad became angry and physically restrained the victim from leaving his vehicle.  As the victim tried to leave, Prasad grabbed a tire iron and began to hit the victim in her head. The victim believed she was going to pass out from the attack.  The victim screamed "HELP" at the top of her lungs which caused Prasad to stop hitting her.  It should be noted that Prasad weighed approx. 290 lbs while the victim weighed approx. 100 lbs.

Prasad moved into the driver’s seat of his vehicle and locked the vehicle doors.  The victim tried to open the sliding van door but could not.  The victim begged for Prasad to let her go.  The two grabbed for the victim’s purse and struggled over it.  Prasad started the ignition and drove away as the victim attempted to escape from the vehicle via the slider door.  The victim (believing she was being kidnapped) jumped out of the moving vehicle; it was estimated that the vehicle was traveling at approx 40 MPH at that time she jumped from it.  The victim sustained injuries to her feet, knees, hands, hips, chest and abdomen and was treated at a medical trauma center. The victim’s purse, keys, and identifying information were all left inside the vehicle.

Officers and Detectives from the Fremont Police Department immediately began to work on the investigation. 

Video surveillance from the area captured photos of the suspect just prior to the attack.  Those photos were sent to detectives in other agencies in an attempt to identify the unknown suspect.  An officer from the Oakland Police Department contacted Fremont detectives, identified the suspect as Anmol Prasad and provided information on a related case he was investigating which Prasad was involved in. 

(Case #2) 

On October 25th, 2015 a 19-year-old female was contacted by Prasad at a Shell Gas station in Oakland, Ca.  Prasad offered to give the female a ride to Castro Valley which the female accepted.  Instead, Prasad drove the female into a dead-end street in Oakland, pulled out a knife, held it to the victims’ neck and demanded the victim preform sexual acts on him.  Fearing for her life, the victim complied with Prasad's demands.  After the acts, Prasad did not let the female leave and began driving to Richmond, Ca.  At approx the same time, Richmond PD received a call from a witness who had seen a female being held in a vehicle.  The caller provided a license plate for the vehicle and the location it was last been seen.  Richmond PD officers located the vehicle pulling into a gas station in Richmond, Ca.  As the vehicle came to a stop, the female victim immediately exited the vehicle screaming that the suspect (Prasad) had a knife.  Officers later searched the vehicle and located a large "Smith and Wesson" brand folding knife (blade measuring 6") behind the driver's seat.  Prasad was arrested and booked for multiple charges including kidnapping, forced sex acts and brandishing a knife.  However, the Alameda County District Attorney's office declined to prosecute the case.

Fremont detectives further researched Prasad further and located three additional rape/robbery cases in which Prasad was believed to be involved in:

(Case #3) 

On October 14th, 2015 Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the Chevron gas station in Castro Valley on a report of a stabbing.  The victim (a 19-year-old female) stated she was working as a prostitute in Oakland when she was picked up by a client (Prasad).  After agreeing to a “date”, Prasad drove the two to a Wells Fargo Bank in Castro Valley and withdrew cash from the ATM.  After returning to the vehicle (and giving the victim $300 cash), Prasad pulled out a knife and held it to the victims' throat.  The victim put up her left hand to protect herself and Prasad cut her with the knife.  The victim suffered a laceration to her left hand which would require four sutures to close.  Prasad proceeded to rob the victim of $340 cash (the $300 he had given her and $40 she already had) and drove away leaving the victim bleeding.  Video footage from the Wells Fargo ATM machine corroborated the victim’s story.  ACSO detectives later executed a search warrant on Prasad’s vehicle and located blood on the front passenger seat and floorboard.  Prasad was charged with felony robbery and felony assault with a deadly weapon behind that incident.  Prasad was released from custody on bail on February 26th, 2016 and remained out of custody on bail at the time of the Fremont crime.

(Case #4) 

On May 3rd, 2015 a 25-year-old female victim reported she had just been raped near a Walmart in Renton, WA.  The victim told officers she had posted ads for prostitution online and had been contacted by a potential client (Prasad).  They agreed to meet near the Walmart inside Prasad’s semi-truck.  Once together, the two had consensual sex in exchange for money.  Following the acts, Prasad brandished a knife at the victim and began swinging a knife at her.  At knifepoint, Prasad ordered the victim to undress.  Prasad forced the victim to preform multiple sexual acts on him while under duress.  During the incident, Prasad sliced the victim’s left arm with his knife causing a wound which required five stitches to close.  Cell phone evidence and DNA evidence (in the form of semen recovered) linked Prasad to the rape. A warrant for 'Rape 1' was issued for Prasad on March 11th, 2016.

(Case #5) 

On January 25th, 2016 a 40-year-old victim was at truck stop in Portland, OR when she met up with a male (Prasad).  The two had exchanged phone numbers prior to the meeting.  The victim got into the front seat of Prasad's semi-truck and Prasad began smoking methamphetamine.  Prasad pulled out a large black handgun, pointed the handgun at the victim and proceeded to demand money from her.  Prasad took $280 US Currency from the victim.  Prior to the victim fleeing, the victim took a photo of Prasad.  The victim provided the photo and Prasad’s cell phone number to Portland, OR police officers.  The phone number was found to be linked to a Facebook account being used by Prasad’s wife.  Fremont detectives were later sent the photo and confirmed they believed the suspect to be Prasad.

Further investigation into the Fremont case:

On May 5th, 2016 Fremont Detectives conducted surveillance at numerous addresses in an effort to locate and arrest Prasad.  An address in the 16100 block of Adobe Way in Lathrop, Ca was surveilled and Prasad’s vehicle (same one the Fremont crime was believed to have been committed in) was located parked near the residence.  Prasad was arrested by Fremont PD detectives as he left the residence. 

Detectives wrote a search warrant for Prasad’s vehicle.  A search of the vehicle revealed a black tire iron and paperwork belonging to the Fremont female victim.  Prasad’s wife was interviewed and clarified the vehicle Prasad drove and confirmed Prasad was a long-haul truck driver who worked “all over the country”.

When Prasad was interviewed by detectives, he denied being in the Bay Area on the date of the Fremont incident and denied ever meeting the female victim.  Prasad stated he couldn’t remember the last time a female (who was not his wife) was in his vehicle.  Prasad stated he had been married to his wife since 2013 and had never had sex with another woman other than his wife since that time.  Prasad denied ever meeting any prostitute in order to exchange money for sex since he had been married.  Prasad offered no explanation for the paperwork (belonging to the Fremont victim) found in his vehicle.

While Prasad was being booked into jail, he was told about his additional felony warrant out of Washington State for rape.  Upon hearing this Prasad stated, "I've never even been to Washington" (a statement which is contradicted by his semen being found during the Renton, WA investigation).

Prasad was booked into the Fremont jail for multiple felonies including kidnapping for the purposes of sexual assault, assault with intent to commit sexual assault, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery and committing a felony offence while on bail.  Prasad was also booked for the outstanding Washington state felony rape warrant.

While in custody at the Fremont jail, Prasad began complaining of chest pain.  Fremont Fire, Paramedics Plus medics and Fremont Police officers responded to the Fremont jail to check on Prasad’s welfare.  Prasad was transported to Washington Hospital for medical clearance.  Once at Washington Hospital, Prasad told nurses that he needed to use the restroom.  A Fremont PD officer escorted Prasad to a restroom inside the hospital.  As the officer attempted to re-handcuff him, Prasad swung a closed fist at the officer and punched the officer multiple times.  Prasad also grabbed a Fremont Detention officer who had been standing nearby and began striking her.  Prasad and the Fremont officer fell against a nurse's desk in the triage room.  Prasad grabbed ahold of a pen and began to thrust the pen toward the officer in an attempt to stab him.  Multiple hospital staff (including doctors and nurses) rushed to the officers’ aid.   The officer was able to push Prasad off of him and create distance between himself and Prasad.  The officer discharged his Taser but it was not effective in subduing Prasad.  Prasad continued to fight with the officer, was on top of the officer and began grabbing for the officer’s firearm.  During the fight, the Taser was knocked out of the officer’s hand.  A nurse grabbed the Taser and handed it back to the officer.  Prasad finally complied and was handcuffed.  Both the police officer and the Detention officer suffered injury during the fight.

Additional charges were sought for Prasad’s attack on the officers at Washington Hospital.  Those additional charges included attempted escape from custody by force/violence, battery against a custodial officer causing injury, assault with a deadly weapon/instrument on a peace officer and other felony charges.  However, the Alameda County District Attorney declined to charge any of the counts relating to the attack of the police officer and the detention officer.

A criminal history check revealed Prasad had eight (8) prior convictions for crimes within California including:

Prior felony convictions:

                - VC 10851(A) - Stolen Vehicle possession (2006)

                - VC 10851(A) - Stolen Vehicle possession (2007)

                - VC 10851(A) - Stolen Vehicle possession (2007)

                - VC 2800.2(A) – Evading police/pursuit/disregard for public safety (2010)

Prior misdemeanor convictions:

                - PC 245(A)(1) - Assault with a deadly weapon (2004)

                - PC 273.5(A) – Inflict injury on a spouse/cohabitant (2004)

                - PC 243(E)(1) – battery on a spouse/cohabitant (2004)

                - PC 136.1 – prevent/dissuade a victim or witness (2005)

On May 9th, 2016 Prasad was charged with multiple felony crimes relating to the 20-year-old female victim in Fremont.  The additional known cases (cases #2-4 from above) were combined into a global prosecution of Prasad for the series of sexual assaults/robberies.  Prasad has remained in continuous custody in Alameda County since his initial arrest.

On February 21st, 2019 (inside Department 11 in Oakland, Ca) a preliminary examination hearing was held in Prasad’s case.  Following that hearing, Prasad was held to answer on all charges relating to the 20-year-old female victim.

On July 7th, 2020 Prasad changed his plea and plead guilty to two counts of Penal Code 220 (assault with intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy or oral copulation) and one count of Penal Code 288 (forced sexual assault).  Further, Prasad plead guilty to being in possession of a dangerous weapon during two of the attacks and committing the Fremont attack while being out ‘on bail’ for the ACSO crime.  The PC 220 and PC 288 counts are all considered violent/felony strikes. 

Prasad was sentenced on November 5^th, 2020.  In exchange for his change of plea, Prasad agreed to a term of fifteen years and four months in State Prison.  Due to Prasad already having served four-plus years in Alameda County custody awaiting trial (coupled with him needing to serve only 85% of his total sentence), Prasad will serve approx. eight more years in custody prior to being eligible for release.

Investigators believe there may be additional victims of similar crimes committed by Prasad who have not been contacted or who may be too afraid to come forward.  And while investigators disseminated Prasad’s information to law enforcement agencies nationwide (due to his profession as a long-haul truck driver and due to the two confirmed crimes), we hope the release of this information publicly encourages victims of these types of crimes to come forward.

Arrestee:

Anyone with information about this incident or any potentially related cases is asked to please call the Fremont Police Department’s Investigative Unit at 510-790-6954, email mgebhardt@fremont.gov, send an anonymous tip by texting TIP FREMONTPD followed by your message to 888-777, or via the web at https://local.nixle.com/tip/alert/6216337.

A PDF copy of this press release is available here.