Dennis RomeroTwo martial arts instructors were behind bars over the weekend after they were accused of torturing an 18-year-old by beating him, cutting him with a samurai sword and burning him with lit cigarettes.
Brothers Ston Lee, 34, and Skoth Ly, 33, of the Ston Skoth Martial Arts Academies in Lancaster, were jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail each, according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.
There was one more suspect in the caper:
Anthony Valdivia, a 36-year-old who was booked on suspicion of being a felon with a firearm, deputies said. His bail was $35,000.
Credit: Valdivia / LASD
Investigators allege that the brothers kidnapped the teen and tortured him on Sept. 24.
On Thursday the three were tracked down in Lancaster, cops said.
Lee and Valvidia were found at a home in the 8300 block of West Avenue F in Lancaster, they said; Ly was tracked down at a resident in the 44000 block of Gadsden Avenue.
At the first location investigators say they also found an indoor marijuana grow, a gun and drug paraphernalia.
Search warrants were also served at two of the brothers' martial arts academies, at 44138 10th Sts West and 42741 45th St. West, where samurai swards were seized, deputies said.
Credit: Lee / LASD
The brothers Lee and Ly were booked on suspicion of kidnapping, torture and marijuana cultivation, cops said, with more recommended charges possible.
Credit: Ly / LASD
The motive for the alleged kidnapping? It wasn't made clear.
Send feedback and tips to the author. Follow Dennis Romero on Twitter at @dennisjromero. Follow LA Weekly News on Twitter at @laweeklynews.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.