Galveston County prosecutors announced on Wednesday that they will not pursue charges against Sameh Chami, the Houston-area Uber driver arrested after a passenger claimed she was abducted during a June ride. Officials reviewed video and other evidence that defense lawyers say weaken the original claims.
DA backs off indictment as probe continues
In court filings, the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office said it reviewed the material and decided not to pursue an aggravated-kidnapping indictment while the investigation remains active and authorities pursue other suspects, according to Houston Chronicle. The turnaround follows months of high-profile attention on the case.
Defense points to surveillance and testing
Chami’s attorney, Brett Landriault, told KHOU, “Surveillance video from a nearby daycare confirms that the timeline of events made the allegations against our client impossible” and shows the alleged assault could not have happened. Landriault said Chami is expected to be transferred to an ICE facility while federal authorities decide if any charges will be filed.
How it started
The case began on June 28, when a 21-year-old woman who had called a ride from Buckshot Saloon in Galveston was later found by relatives in a vacant parking lot instead of at her Friendswood home, as reported by Click2Houston. Family members tracked the passenger’s location using an app, confronted the driver, and brought her home. Prosecutors then issued a warrant, and Friendswood police arrested Chami in early August, as per Hoodline
ICE hold, lawsuit and federal spotlight
Chami has been held on an ICE detainer amid questions about his immigration status, and the woman has filed a civil suit against Chami and Uber that has been transferred to federal court. Uber has asked for the suit to be dismissed and has banned Chami from the platform, while DHS statements earlier this summer amplified national attention on the case.
What’s next
Prosecutors say the probe is ongoing and are pursuing other leads, while Chami’s defense says the FBI is reviewing the matter to determine whether federal charges are warranted. For now, the local aggravated-kidnapping charge has been dropped, but the civil lawsuit and immigration custody questions could proceed on separate tracks.
