Four rideshare drivers federally indicted for kidnapping passengers, court records show

Four rideshare drivers have been federally indicted and accused of kidnapping passengers in the Houston area and sexually assaulting them.

ABC13 has reported on this issue before, including the time a woman sued Uber after she was allegedly sexually assaulted while using the service.

Federal Court documents confirm that Abdou Mbacke, Cesar Martell, Janaka Manatunga and Barney Flores are charged with kidnapping and face a possible life sentence if convicted.

Three of the four men were arrested. The FBI says the fourth man is on the run.

At a news conference Thursday afternoon, federal authorities said there could be more victims and urged them to call and report the matter to the FBI.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Nicholas Ganjei said Thursday afternoon that people should not confuse convenience with security like their agency, in conjunction with local and federal law enforcement’s launch of Operation Light House.

“To combat a persistent and disturbing problem: sexual assault by rideshare drivers against their passengers,” Ganjei said. “And when a driver abuses their trust by using their position of power to sexually assault a passenger, especially a passenger incapacitated or unable to defend themselves, they cease to be a provider and become a predator.”

It’s an initiative that the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas says is intended to bring justice, raise awareness of the problem and warn would-be attackers that they could face life in prison for kidnapping and assaulting passengers.

“We will find you. We will arrest you and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law and, in this case, federal law,” said Ryan Whalen, an assistant special agent with the FBI in Houston.

Court documents show Barney Flores is accused of sexually assaulting a passenger in May 2025.

Abdou Mbacke, still at large, is accused of kidnapping a woman and taking her to a motel to sexually assault her in December 2023. Harris County confirms he also faces state charges.

Janaka Manatunga, who is also charged in Montgomery County for the crimes charged against him, was also charged with kidnapping, accused of preventing a female passenger from leaving and sexually assaulting her in April 2025.

RELATED: 56-year-old Uber driver accused of sexually assaulting woman in The Woodlands area

Federal officials say Cesar Martell faces two counts of kidnapping for two different victims, one in 2021 and one in 2023. In both cases, he is accused of sexually assaulting the victims and strangling them. Harris County Sheriff’s Office officials confirm he is also on probation for attempted aggravated sexual assault and attempted sexual assault in Harris County.

When Ganjei was asked why they were being charged federally if three of the four men were already facing state charges, he said they had different resources and what they called “structural advantages.”

Through Operation Lighthouse, authorities aim to uncover more victims of this type of crime and bring the criminals to justice.

“There are cases where the opposite is true… where passengers hail a rideshare in order to sexually assault the driver. We are equally interested in these cases and want to hear from these victims as well,” Ganjei said.

Authorities believe the four men could have more victims and are urging them to report it to the FBI.

The FBI says it also wants to hear from other victims who were sexually assaulted by rideshare drivers, as well as drivers who were sexually assaulted by passengers. If you have been in any of these situations, you are asked to call 1800 CALL FBI or Tips.FBI.Gov to make a report.

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