Four men and one woman – including three men from Gilroy – have been cleared of charges stemming from a mid-August arrest for kidnapping, sexual assault and pimping after the alleged victim, who identified herself in court as Jasmine Stallion, recanted her story during a Sept. 5 preliminary hearing in Riverside Superior Court.
Yahya Malik (originally identified as Khalid Binhajjyahyaabdulmalik), 23, Muhammad Malik (previously identified as Abubakr Horrington), 32, and Jerry Landers, 21, all from Gilroy, along with Ibrahim Malik (originally identified as Ibrahim Binhajjyahyaabdulmalik), 25, and Ana Ceja, 20, of San Jose, were initially charged with human trafficking, kidnapping for rape and attempted pimping. But a spokesman for the Riverside County district attorney’s office, John Hall, told the Dispatch all charges against the five were dismissed and they were released from custody after the alleged victim informed the court she fabricated the story.
“Based on the ethical obligation of the D.A.’s office to pursue only those charges which are supported by the evidence, the decision was made to dismiss all charges,” Hall said. “The woman admitted that her decision to leave with the five people was completely consensual.”
Originally the alleged victim, 18-year-old Stallion told investigators prior to the hearing she was approached while walking on Long Beach Boulevard in Compton and forced into a vehicle containing four men and one woman. She told authorities she was then forced to perform oral sex in the parking lot of a motel under threat of violence and pose for nude pictures to be used in a prostitution ad. Then, she claimed the five forced her to work as a prostutitute out of a Moreno Valley motel.
During cross-examination Sept. 5, Stallion admitted she had full access to her cell phone during the ordeal and made up the entire story. She also told the court she had previously worked as a prostitute in Compton and in the San Fernando Valley prior to the incident.
As far as Stallion facing any potential charges for perjury, Hall said the D.A’s office is considering all possible options and no decision has been made at this time.
