Pubdate: Thu, 17 Sep 2015
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2015 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Pubdate: 17 Sep 2015
Author: Veronica Rocha

4 HELD IN TORTURE OF PAIR INSIDE A MARIJUANA SHOP

Kern County Sheriff 's officials say the man and woman were 
kidnapped, beaten and sexually assaulted.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and 
torture of a man and woman inside a medical marijuana shop in east 
Bakersfield, sheriff 's officials said.

The man and woman were restrained against their will, beaten, 
tortured and sexually assaulted over several days last week inside 
the business in the 700 block of Sterling Road, according to the Kern 
County Sheriff 's office.

The man reported the ordeal to deputies on Sept. 8 and told them he 
was the victim of a kidnapping. Details on how he got away were not released.

When deputies went to the business, they found the woman and three 
suspects, authorities said. KERO-TV reported that the shop was a 
medical marijuana supply store.

Sexual assault detectives recovered evidence to support the man's 
report, sheriff 's officials said.

Detectives arrested Alexis Marie Pule, 18; Jessi Giron-Miranda, 27; 
and Ingo Gonzalez, 35, on Sept. 8 on suspicion of kidnapping.

Giron-Miranda and Gonzalez also were booked under investigation of 
assault with a deadly weapon, torture, making threats and sex-related 
offenses, sheriff 's officials said.

The fourth person, Norik Ter-Galstanyan, was arrested on the same 
offenses Saturday at Los Angeles International Airport as he 
attempted to board a flight to Russia, the sheriff 's office 
reported. He was being held on $5-million bail.

Pule is being held on $500,000 bail. Giron-Miranda remains in custody 
on $1-million bail, and Gonzalez is being held on $2-million bail.
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