A Lewiston Lyft driver is being held at the Androscoggin County Jail after being charged with gross sexual assault in connection with an alleged assault inside his SUV. Court records indicate the suspect had been released from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility just days before the alleged incident.
According to police affidavits, Aguid Mahamat, 31, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman after she entered his SUV following a night out in Lewiston. Investigators allege the assault occurred in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven convenience store.
Lewiston police identified Mahamat after reviewing surveillance footage from the 7-Eleven and using the city’s Flock automated license plate recognition camera system, according to court documents. Investigators said the evidence allowed them to identify the SUV involved and locate Mahamat.
When Mahamat was brought to the Lewiston Police Department for questioning, investigators were unable to immediately conduct a formal interview after he reportedly told officers he speaks only Chadian Arabic, according to court records.
Court documents further state that Mahamat provided investigators with bail bond paperwork showing he had been released from an ICE detention facility in Mississippi on July 26, 2026, only days before the alleged assault.
Mahamat made his initial court appearance on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. During the investigation, he denied the allegations, telling police he did not pick up the alleged victim and was not at the Lewiston 7-Eleven during the timeframe in question. He is currently being held at the Androscoggin County Jail with bail set at $3,000.
The case was first reported by the Lewiston Sun Journal.
The Maine Wire has reached out to both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Lewiston Police Department seeking additional information, including Mahamat’s immigration status, the circumstances surrounding his release from federal custody, and any additional details about the investigation.
The Maine Wire will update this article as additional information becomes available from the Lewiston Police Department and/or ICE.
