Pedicab Driver Charged with 11 Felonies Including Rape

Today, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced 11 felony charges, including four counts of first-degree felony rape, filed against John Riley Harper, 45, a pedicab driver in downtown Salt Lake City.

The allegations against the defendant go back to 2019, and involve six alleged victim-survivors. The investigation began when L.L. reported to police that on June 18, 2025, she had made plans to hang out with the defendant, also known as Alonzo Riley. The defendant picked up L.L. in his pedicab and took her to a park. They then went to his residence, where the defendant allegedly served her three glasses of wine. L.L. did not see the defendant pour any of those glasses of wine. L.L. told police that after consuming the wine, she had no memory of what happened and stated she did not drink enough alcohol to black out. When L.L. woke up the next morning, she was still at the defendant's residence. L.L. and the defendant were both naked, her vaginal area and hips were sore, and she saw a condom on the floor. L.L. told police she had been friends with the defendant for a long time but was never sexually attracted to him and would never have sex with him. Following an exam, lab results showed L.L.  had cocaine and ecstasy in her system; she said she would never voluntarily take either of those drugs and had no memory of consuming them.

K.W. told police that on or about March 26, 2025, she had been out with friends, got into an argument with them, and walked away. K.W. then saw the defendant, whom she had known for years, and began to talk to him. He offered her some water, which she drank. After that, she told police she had no recollection of what happened, but she woke up in the defendant's trailer fully nude, and the defendant was fully nude next to her. K.W. said she did not consume enough alcohol to experience a blacked-out state. When she woke up, she felt groggy, and her body felt sore, and she believed the defendant had drugged her.

K.T. told police that on July 21, 2022, she got off work and saw the defendant with his pedicab. She asked for a ride home. During the ride, the defendant gave her a bottle of water, which she consumed. K.T. did not remember anything until she woke up the next day. When she woke up, she saw that she had posted a video of herself and the defendant on social media. Based on the video, the defendant had taken her to a second, unknown location that she did not remember visiting. K.T. said she did not have enough alcohol after work to explain her memory loss or how her body felt. Toxicology showed K.T. had cocaine in her system, which she denied taking. K.T. told police that all she remembered was the defendant trying to kiss her. K.T. also said she had vaginal soreness.

H.B. told police that in October 2020, she was friends with the defendant and saw him on the street while she was exiting a bar. He then invited her to his apartment. H.B. recalled that the defendant poured her a shot, which she took. H.B. didn't remember "the next several hours." H.B. told police that she woke up the next morning next to the defendant, and they were both naked. While H.B. tried to figure out what had happened, the defendant began to have sex with her. H.B. told police she became aware enough to stop the alleged sexual assault. H.B. told police she never wanted to date the defendant and recalled a time he tried to kiss her, and she told him no and made it clear that they had a platonic relationship and she was not interested.

In addition to the above alleged victim-survivors, two other individuals reported sexual assaults by the defendant as well.
The defendant is charged with four counts of first-degree felony rape, two counts of first-degree felony forcible sodomy, two counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse, two counts of third-degree felony surreptitious administering of certain controlled substance, one count of third-degree felony aggravated assault, and one count of class A misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. In the State of Utah, a First Degree felony is punishable by a maxiumum sentence of up to life in prison; a Second Degree felony is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to fifteen years in prison; a Third Degree felony is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison; and a Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to one year in jail.

"If there are other individuals that may have had similar alleged experiences as the victim-survivors in this case, we urge them to report that to law enforcement. We appreciate the work of the Salt Lake City Police Department for a thorough investigation that helped lead to the filing of these charges," said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. "All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law."