3 hours ago
1
The former sorority girl who pepper-sprayed a Muslim Uber driver in Manhattan last summer has struck a sweetheart deal to stay out of prison — and she owes part of the thanks to her victim.
Manhattan College grad Jennifer Guilbeault, 24, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of one felony count of aggravated harassment in the second degree in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday — despite initially being hit with a hate crime that had her facing up to 15 years in prison for the senseless July 31, 2024, attack on driver Shohel Mahmud.
Mahmud, who claimed that Guilbeault attacked him because “he’s brown,” told The Post on Tuesday that he ultimately didn’t want the former PR agent to serve any prison time for the attack — because he’s a religious person who believes in forgiveness.
“She’s almost my kid’s age,” said Mahmud, a father of three from Elmhurst, Queens. “After all, I believe in the Judgement Day. I have to stand in front of my God, that’s the reason why I forgive her. If I forgive her, God will forgive me.”
He stood by his claim that Guilbeault was caught on camera saying she attacked him because of his skin color — but Manhattan prosecutors said they reviewed the driver’s tape, where he claims the comment was captured, and that it is not “clear enough” to confirm the woman made the comment.
Guilbeault, a native of Northbridge, Mass., was riding with her friend in the backseat of Mahmud’s car after he picked them up near Lexington Avenue and East 66th Street when she suddenly lunched forward and sprayed the noxious substance in the driver’s eyes, prosecutors have said.
Prosecutors said Guilbeault ambushed the driver when he began praying in Arabic just as he approached a red light — where she was then captured on Mahmud’s dashcam repeatedly yelling, “Get him out!”
“Her friend, she is yelling, ‘Jen, Jen, what the f–k, what are you doing? What’s going on?’ ” Mahmud told The Post days after the attack. “Her friend is asking, ‘Why did you do that?’ And she say, ‘He’s brown.’ ”
Prosecutors said Guilbeault has expressed remorse for the attack and actively engaged in therapy and anti-bias programing since the summer incident — factors they considered, along with her lack of criminal record, when ironing out the deal.
They also noted in court papers that the victim was OK with the no-jail deal.
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Laura Ward accepted the terms of the plea.
As part of the plea deal, Guilbeault will have to complete her community service within a year and continue with therapy and anti-bias and alcohol-abuse programs.
If she completes all of the court-mandated punishments, she will be allowed to withdraw her plea on the aggravated-harassment rap and plead down to the non-criminal offense of harassment in the second degree.
Her lawyer, Michael Alber, did not respond to Post requests for comment on the sentencing.
Alber has previously denied that Guilbeault’s rage was fueled by hate.
Guilbeault had just started a career at New York public relations firm D Pagan Communications in Melville, LI, before she was fired from the agency over the shocking incident.
English (US)