SEATTLE — A pimp who was involved in a rolling shootout with an Uber driver, attempting to recapture one of the girls he was selling in sex trafficking, will spend just shy of 15 years in prison on state charges, a judge ruled Friday afternoon. Winston Burt, 32, also known as "Dice Capone," pleaded guilty to multiple counts of assault, drive-by shooting, and unlawful imprisonment in King County Superior Court.
Burt has also pleaded guilty to federal charges of sex trafficking and is expected to be sentenced for those charges next year. Prosecutors described him as a violent pimp who brought women from other states to Seattle for exploitation on Aurora Avenue.
According to court records, in November 2022, Burt kicked, punched, and pistol-whipped a 20-year-old woman after she expressed her desire to stop working for him. He then held her inside a rental home and forced her to strip to her underwear. Three days later, the woman jumped out of a third-story window to escape.
After her escape, the woman was forced back inside Burt's car by him and two other women who worked for him. The victim jumped out of the car, naked but for her underwear, and sought help from passing drivers. An Uber driver saw her distress and allowed her to enter his van, but Burt gave chase, opening fire.
While there were no reported injuries from the gun battle, the Uber driver, armed himself, shot back at Burt. After dropping the victim off at safety, he contacted authorities. Burt was arrested the following day by police as he tried to leave the rental home.
During the sentencing hearing, the victim addressed the court, stating, "The trauma I endured, words cannot express. I just hope he can learn a valuable lesson.” Burt, though, declined to speak, leaving his defense team to argue there was more to the story.
Meanwhile, Uber drivers are facing legal challenges of another kind related to their pay. Nathaniel Daniel Norris, known on TikTok as Nard, posted a public service announcement highlighting issues with Fernandez Honda, a San Antonio dealership. He claimed the dealership requested an Uber for their customer but canceled the ride mid-trip, leaving both the driver and the customer stranded.
The video swiftly gained traction, racking up 50,000 views. Nard stated, “Hey, this is a PSA to all my Uber drivers and Lyft drivers out there. Do not, do not, pick up anybody from this Honda dealership.” His outrage was palpable as he described the lack of support from the dealership when he sought answers for the cancellation.
After he followed up with dashcam footage showing the cancellation, the situation only escalated. The video showed the exact moment the dealership canceled the Uber. Initially, when he questioned the customer about the cancellation, the rider confirmed the dealership’s request for the ride.
Nard vividly recounted the frustrating interactions with dealership officials who refused to remotely help. Complaining about the cancellation process, he starkly voiced, “Get your [expletive] together!” His experience has struck chords among viewers, with many echoing his frustrations.
Shifting gears to New York City, the city was the first to mandate minimum pay for drivers from ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. Nevertheless, recent loopholes have caused issues for many drivers seeking to make ends meet. Earlier this year, the companies began implementing “lockouts” to curb driver access during designated times, effectively shutting out drivers from taking rides.
Ever since, many drivers, like Amadou Diallo, have reported significant decreases in income. “Everything is going tight,” Diallo said, explaining how he went from earning around $350 on weekend days to less than $200. Others like David Williams have joined protests against the companies, arguing for fair compensation.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission is weighing amendments to the driver pay law to prevent such lockouts, with many drivers saying it's driving them toward financial instability and even homelessness. The Independent Drivers Guild is lobbying for solutions amid the rising costs of living and decreasing earnings.
Although Uber has claimed drivers are compensated fairly, countless drivers contend otherwise, citing struggles to keep up with rising expenses. “What they are doing is just creating poor people,” stated Ibrahim Zoure, shedding light on the grim reality many drivers face.
Protests have followed this turmoil, with drivers organizing rallies to voice their hardships and demand change. Uber and Lyft drivers insist on their necessity to the business, with sentiments echoing from routines of their daily struggles to meet ends meet: “Without the drivers, there is no Uber, there is no Lyft,” as noted by protest participant David Williams.
With the city and drivers at odds over potential regulation changes, the future of ride-hailing services remains fraught with issues surrounding safety and fair pay. Drivers hope for supportive policies to safeguard their livelihoods against the backdrop of such disputes and incidents.
