A 43-year-old rideshare driver has been arrested and faces charges of kidnapping and multiple sexual assaults, leading authorities to investigate the possibility of more victims.
Felipe Rico-Ceballos, a resident of Ontario, California, was detained on March 5, following an alleged assault reported on February 27, as stated by the Costa Mesa Police Department.
According to investigators, Rico-Ceballos purportedly offered assistance to an intoxicated woman, promising to take her home. Instead, he allegedly transported her to a different location where the assault took place before dropping her off at another site.
“We are working to identify any additional victims of a man arrested for sexually assaulting a rideshare passenger,” read a statement from the Costa Mesa Police Department’s Facebook page on Wednesday. “As the investigation unfolded, we learned that Rico-Ceballos is employed by a rideshare company. Given the nature of his work, detectives are requesting the public’s help in identifying any other potential victims.”
In Costa Mesa, California, a rideshare driver is accused of sexually assaulting a woman he picked up on February 27, 2026. (Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has officially charged Rico-Ceballos with these serious offenses.
Felipe Rico-Ceballos, 43, is accused of picking up a woman for a ride share and sexually assaulting her in Costa Mesa, California.
Police said the investigation is ongoing, and urged people to contact them if they have information or if they think they might be a victim of the suspect.
-->
