Officials say the cases stem from “Operation Lighthouse,” a new multi-agency initiative focused on assaults in rideshares.
HOUSTON, Texas — Federal prosecutors on Thursday announced kidnapping charges against four Uber drivers accused of posing as trusted rideshare drivers to abduct and sexually assault female passengers at locations across the Houston area. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei unveiled the cases alongside FBI Houston and local law enforcement leaders downtown.
The indictments mark an early test of a coordinated push by federal and local authorities to bring serious charges in alleged attacks linked to rideshare trips. Prosecutors said the investigation, branded Operation Lighthouse, identified separate incidents dating to 2021 and as recent as 2025. Three of the men are in custody; one remains at large. The cases carry potential life sentences if the defendants are convicted. Uber said it banned the drivers when allegations were reported and that the company is assisting investigators.
Prosecutors named the defendants as Cesar Martell, Barney Steve Flores, Janaka Manatunga and Abdou Mbacke. In a 1 p.m. news conference Thursday, Ganjei said investigators believe there may be additional victims and stressed the scope of the effort. “We want would-be abusers to know that the Department of Justice is watching,” Ganjei said. FBI officials described the suspects as men who “disguised themselves as trusted rideshare drivers,” then targeted women leaving bars, homes or destinations and diverted them to parking lots, motels or other secluded places. Authorities said two of the alleged attacks tied to Martell occurred on June 12, 2021, and May 21, 2023; Flores’s case centers on a May 12, 2025 incident in which a woman awoke in a vehicle’s back seat; and Mbacke is accused in a December 2023 motel episode. Manatunga’s case involves a garage encounter in The Woodlands in April 2025.
Officials said the charges are federal because the drivers used cellphones and vehicles—means of interstate and foreign commerce—to facilitate alleged crimes, a threshold that can trigger federal jurisdiction. Prosecutors said a DNA match links Martell to two separate victims in 2021 and 2023. In Flores’s case, court filings describe an unconscious passenger who later found her clothing removed; she fled after threatening to call police. Authorities said Mbacke drove a woman to a motel where she later woke up in a bed with him; investigators recovered a used condom. Manatunga, according to charging papers, blocked a woman from closing her car door and assaulted her before leaving when another vehicle passed by. Uber terminated each driver’s account after the reports, the company said in a statement.
Records show Martell had been on probation for attempted aggravated sexual assault and attempted sexual assault when the 2023 allegation was reported, and that a prior, separate case had been dismissed. Flores remained in custody after a December arrest. Manatunga has related charges in Montgomery County tied to the April 2025 incident in The Woodlands. Authorities said Mbacke left the country in July 2025 and is wanted on state charges as well as the federal kidnapping count. Prosecutors did not say where they believe he is, citing an active effort to locate him. The FBI praised victims who reported their experiences, saying their accounts helped shape the cases and the new initiative.
Operation Lighthouse brings together the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, FBI Houston, the Houston Police Department, and the sheriff’s offices in Harris and Montgomery counties. Officials said the team has reviewed past complaints and plans to coordinate future cases as they emerge. The initiative comes as Houston officials highlight broader safety efforts on public transportation and around nightlife districts. Uber, in a written statement, said, “Safety is fundamental to our work,” adding that it has a 24/7 global team that supports active investigations and that it “will continue to invest in innovative safety features.”
Prosecutors said initial appearances for Martell and Manatunga were set for Thursday afternoon in federal court in Houston. Flores’s case is moving forward following his earlier arrest; it will be scheduled for a detention hearing and arraignment. Authorities said they are seeking tips related to any of the defendants or similar incidents as the cases proceed. If Mbacke is apprehended, he will make an initial appearance and could be transferred to Houston to face the charge; until then, investigators are pursuing leads while declining to discuss specifics.
Outside the courthouse Thursday, FBI and local leaders stood before a bank of microphones and case posters, while prosecutors described a “persistent and disturbing problem” and promised more updates. “Today’s arrests are due in large part to the bravery of the victims,” FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Whalen said. Downtown traffic buzzed past as officials spoke, and staff moved boxes of records into the building for afternoon hearings.
As of Friday morning, three defendants were in custody and one remained a fugitive. Prosecutors said additional court dates will be set in the coming days, with detention and arraignment hearings expected next week. More information is anticipated when indictments are unsealed in full and cases are assigned to judges.
Author note: Last updated January 16, 2026.