LAKEWOOD, Ohio — When she heard Jimmy Adkins was running his own taxi service in Ohio she immediately warned her friends and family.
"We want people to know that he's out there," said a witness who did not want to be identified.
That's because the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department says Adkins is a registered sex offender. One that's been convicted twice, in his most recent crime involving a young relative.
"My niece was living with him and that's when he made the attempt to have sex with her," said the witness.
Adkins is running a service called Lakewood Smart Taxi.
He needs a license to run his service, but he doesn't have one. Just last month, he got arrested for transporting passengers without it.
But even if he applied for that license, there's no way Adkins could get one.
"That's the thing, within the city's ordinance, they require that you have a clean record," said Derrick Russell, a consultant of Ace Taxi, a legitimate taxi company in Cleveland.
Five years ago Russell fired Adkins because of his criminal record.
"I was shocked, I've done investigations for insurance companies for a number of years and major companies, I had not seen a record like that," said Russell.
He says Lakewood Smart Taxi isn't the first of its kind.
"Anyone can put a magnet on the side of their car and call themselves a taxi because unfortunately, the regulations are really gray in that area, but the other thing is there is no enforcement," he said.
The family of Adkins' victims is advising against getting in his car.
"Lord knows what he can do, and it's just not safe, it's not safe, you know what I mean there could be anything that could happen," said the unidentified witness.
Adkins was contacted multiple times for comment but never called back.
>>REPORTER
When she heard Jimmy Atkins was running his own taxi service she immediately warned her friends and family...
(18:12:35)
We want people to know that he's out there
>>REPORTER
That's because the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department say Atkins is a registered sex offender. One that's been convicted twice-- in one case the crime involved a young relative.
(18:14:22)
My niece was living with him and that's when he made the attempt to have sex with her
>>REPORTER
Atkins is running a service called "Lakewood Smart Taxi" - he needs a hack license to do that which he does not have - and about a month ago got arrested transporting folks without it.
Even if he applied for that license - there's no way he could get one.
>>DERRICK RUSSELL, ACE TAXI CONSULTANT
(17:02:29)
Is he allowed to drive taxi's as a registered sex offender?
That's the thing, within the city's ordinance, they require that you have a clean record
>>REPORTER
That's Derrick Russell--he's a consultant for Ace Taxi and 5 years ago he fired Atkins because of his criminal record.
>>DERRICK RUSSELL, ACE TAXI CONSULTANT
(17:11:11)
I was shocked, I've done investigations for insurance companies for a number of years and major companies, I had not seen a record like that
>>REPORTER
Russell says "Lakewood Smart Taxi" isn't the first of its kind....
>>DERRICK RUSSELL, ACE TAXI CONSULTANT
(17:06:36)
Anyone can put a magnet on the side of their car and call themselves a taxi, because unfortunately the regulations are really gray in that area, but the other thing is there is no enforcement
>>REPORTER
His victims family advising against getting in his car...
(18:17:48)
Lord knows what he can do, and its just not safe its not safe, you know what I mean there could be anything that could happen
AMANDA TAG:
WE REACHED OUT TO ATKINS MULTIPLE TIMES. I GOT HIM ON THE PHONE ONCE, I TOLD HIM WHAT MY STORY WAS ABOUT AND HE ABTRUPTLY HUNG UP AND NEVER CALLED ME BACK.
RUSSELL FROM ACE TAXI IS ADVISING FOLKS TO MAKE SURE YOUR RIDE SHARING SERVICE IS AT LEAST REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF OHIO BEFORE GETTING INSIDE.
LIVE IN LAKEWOOD, AMANDA VANALLEN NEWS 5.
