As federal kidnapping charges move forward against four Uber drivers accused of sexually assaulting passengers across the Houston area, court records are beginning to reveal details about each case.
Investigators are also shedding light on the backgrounds of the men at the center of the crimes.
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Federal prosecutors say the suspects—Barney Flores, Cesar Martell, Janaka Manatunga, and Abdou Mbacke—used their access as rideshare drivers to target women who were often intoxicated.
According to prosecutors, the four drivers each used similar tactics. After picking up women who were intoxicated or otherwise defenseless, they would divert their routes or not let the women get out of their vehicles, force themselves on the victims, and assault them.
Three of the four defendants are now in custody, while one remains at large after investigators said he fled the United States on a one-way flight.
Two of the suspects, Cesar Martell and Janaka Manatunga, are scheduled for federal detention hearings on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 10 a.m.
OUR FIRST REPORT: 4 Uber drivers charged after allegedly kidnapping passengers, attempting to sexually assault them across Houston area
Barney Flores: Linked to the assault by DNA evidence and found with screenshots of female riders’ locations
Barney Steve Flores, 35, was born in Houston and raised in El Salvador, according to federal court records.
According to testimony presented during his federal detention hearing, Flores worked at a Kroger grocery store for three years before his arrest and drove part-time for Uber and Lyft beginning in 2020.
Prosecutors allege Flores picked up a woman from a nightclub on May 12, 2025, after she had been drinking heavily. A friend reportedly had to place her in the backseat of Flores’ vehicle because she was highly intoxicated.
The victim later told investigators she passed out and awoke to find Flores on top of her. Her clothes disheveled, and Flores was exposing himself.
When she threatened to call police, Flores allegedly began driving away.
A rape exam conducted at a hospital matched Flores’ DNA, authorities said.
Court records show investigators searched Flores’ phone and found screenshots of rideshare trip details for several women. The screenshots included pickup and drop-off locations that could have been used to identify where they lived.
Uber confirmed Flores was fired following the May 2025 allegation, even though he had previously told investigators that he quit over frustrations with pay.
Flores was indicted December 17, 2025, and arrested two days later. He faces one federal kidnapping charge.
After his federal arrest, Flores initially denied assaulting the victim, claiming she initiated contact. He later admitted to having sex with her after learning his DNA had been recovered, and also admitted to the two prior incidents, describing them as consensual.
Authorities also linked Flores to two additional reported sexual assaults: one in California in 2015 and another involving a 17-year-old runaway in Tomball in 2021. Neither case was prosecuted at the time.
Cesar Martell: Labeled a ‘serial rapist’ by prosecutors
Cesar Martell, 32, is facing a two-count federal kidnapping indictment and carries a criminal history involving crimes of sexual violence.
In one of the new cases, a 31-year-old woman told police Martell offered her a ride home after she left Stampede nightclub near Highway 59. The woman asked him to stop at an abandoned gas station so she could use the restroom.
When they stopped, he allegedly climbed on top of her in the passenger seat, choked her with both hands for several minutes, and attempted to sexually assault her, according to court records.
The victim said she kicked Martell off of her and fell headfirst onto concrete while fleeing from his vehicle. She flagged down another driver for help, who took her to a police station.
He was indicted Dec.17, 2025, and arrested Thursday on federal kidnapping charges tied to two victims.
Prosecutors described Martell as a “serial rapist” in Harris County court records, citing three CODIS hits connecting his DNA to sexual assault investigations being conducted at the time.
Martell was given eight years of probation in March 2025 stemming from the Harris County cases after pleading guilty to attempted aggravated sexual assault and attempted sexual assault charges, according to records, tied to the incidents that happened in 2021 and 2023. A third sexual assault case was dismissed at the state level.
Abdou Mbacke: Wanted after fleeing the United States
Abdou Mbacke, 42, remains at large and is also wanted on a state sexual assault warrant filed in Oct. 2025 involving the same incident outlined in the federal case.
According to court records, Mbacke picked up a 22-year-old woman near North Sam Houston Parkway in Dec. 2023.
The victim reported that she had too much to drink and lost consciousness in his car.
When she woke up, she was in a Motel 6 near FM 1960 with Mbacke in bed next to her. She started panicking and said he left without answering any of her questions.
Investigators recovered a used condom from a toilet in the hotel room.
Uber terminated Mbacke’s account the same day the assault was reported.
As the investigation unfolded, authorities say Mbacke booked a one-way international flight on July 24, 2025, and left the country the following day.
He was indicted federally on Dec. 17, 2025, but has not been arrested.
Officials declined to discuss where they believe he may be located, citing the active manhunt.
Janaka Manatunga: State case still pending
Janaka Manatunga, 56, faces one federal kidnapping charge tied to an April 2025 incident in The Woodlands.
He was arrested last year on a state charge connected to the incident by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Prosecutors allege Manatunga drove a woman to a parking garage in The Woodlands and assaulted her.
Manatunga‘s case is still pending in Montgomery County, where he has another court date scheduled in early February.
He was indicted federally in December and arrested Thursday.
Authorities urge more victims to come forward
Federal officials say the case marks the first time rideshare drivers have been charged under federal kidnapping statutes for alleged sexual assaults.
Investigators believe additional victims may exist. The FBI is urging anyone who believes they may have been victimized by a rideshare driver to contact law enforcement at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online.