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Suspects arrested for kidnapping, torture, marijuana grow

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Deputies seized a hydroponic marijuana grow and Samurai swords Thursday when they arrested two martial instructors for kidnapping and torturing a teen. (Photo courtesy LASD)
Deputies seized a hydroponic marijuana grow and Samurai swords Thursday when they arrested two martial instructors for kidnapping and torturing a teen. (Photo courtesy LASD)

LANCASTER — Two local martial arts instructors were arrested Thursday on suspicion of kidnapping and torturing a teen in late September. Ston Lee, 34, and Skoth Ly, 33, of the Ston Skoth Martial Arts Academies are also facing charges for cultivating marijuana, according to a Lancaster Sheriff Station press release. Read it below:

On September 24, an 18-year-old male was kidnapped in the city of Lancaster by two known suspects and tortured with lit cigarettes, cut with Samurai swords, and beaten. The victim was later released in the area of 20th Street West and Ave J.

On November [7] at approximately 10:30 a.m., Lancaster Station detectives and deputies with the LAN/CAP, Burglary Suppression and Robbery Suppression Teams served a search warrant at a home located on the 8300 block of West Ave F.

Anthony Valdivia
Anthony Valdivia

Located in the home were suspects Ston Lee and Anthony Valdivia. Deputies recovered a firearm, drug paraphernalia, and a hydroponic marijuana grow.

Deputies then located suspect Skoth Ly at a residence located on the 44000 block of Gadsden Ave. Additional items of evidence were also recovered.

Two more search warrants were served at the Ston Skoth Martial Arts Academies located at 44138 10th Street West and 42741 45th Street West. Samurai swords were recovered from both locations.

Suspect Lee and Suspect Ly were booked for kidnapping, torture, and cultivating marijuana with additional charges pending. They were held on $100,000 bail. Suspect Valdivia was booked for being a felon with a firearm and held on $35,000.

Anyone with additional information relate to this incident is urged to contact Detective Wilson at (661) 948-8466.

UPDATE 11/8/13: Sheriff’s officials have released booking photos for Skoth Ly (left), Ston Lee (right) and Anthony Valdivia (above).

Skoth and Stone

Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

101 comments for "Suspects arrested for kidnapping, torture, marijuana grow"

  1. Does anyone know if Ston and Skoth are still in jail? Have they had a trial? The studio in Quartz Hill reopened with their pictures decorating the walls. What’s that all about? There have been no updates that I can find on the web. Does anyone know anything?
    Thanks.

  2. How do you know if someone is trying to frame them. For all I know the eighteen year old male could have been lied, yet but to build a good case against them probably had planed to break into their property.

  3. I went to A.V High School with ston ly and I for one, knows he never acted like this…. SMH…. I hope the truth comes out though….

  4. I can think of a thousand other places to break into besides a couple of Cambodian martial arts instructors business. This guy probably could have broke into the business right next door to this martial arts studio instead and got a computer there too and all of this would have been avoided. Word to the wise. Don’t steal from Asians. Even Asian little old ladies put up a fight when someone tries to rob their grocery store. Stealing from two black belts was just plain stupid.

  5. Why is Anthony Valdivias bail set at 1,130,000.00 if all he was arrested for was being a felon in possession of a firearm? What exactly are the charges filed against him?

  6. guys!! who think they are terrible people should [removed] lee is a very generous guy n hes very kind ….if he is being judge by his background then judge the 18 year old by his background too… that decided to break an entery to lees brothers shop n steal a computer … U really think that [removed] jimmy guy is soooo innocent?? then u thought wrong that lil [removed] if he wins this case ima be so angry cause he doesnt deserve to win the case by the way jimmy is not a child he is an ADULT… u cant be force to do something you dont want to do …he knew his right from wrong …lee was not doing anything wrong!….he was just asking for the computer back kindly and protecting his brother ….everything else i think is a BiG fat LIE…

    • First off, please learn to spell.I’ve spent a lot of money on your education.Next, get your moral compass adjusted, it’s askew.

    • who is jimmy? I never read about a break-in or a stolen computer – was the break-in reported to police? if so, reporters would have read about it in the report and written about it. you seem to know a lot about this subject, more than anyone else, what else can you share? this is an interesting case. please tell. also , the AVTimes update say there are “at least two” victims, do you know the other one also?

    • what does age have to do with being kidnapped and tortured? again please tell us who Jimmy is since you know? How can we judge “Jimmy” by his background if we don’t know him as you seem to know him. tell us about jimmy, who is he and what is his background so we can judge him. Tell us about the “break -in” and what is the value of the computer? was it worth a possible life sentence? what proof do you have that the suspect was only asking the victim for the computer in a “kind” way. good thing he was kind about it or the victim might be dead. very interesting observation on how different people say things but offer no proof.

    • [removed]!!!!!! There was 4 kids total kidnapped and tortured. I don’t think there was anything “kindly” about the way Skoth and Ston acted.. For me I guess 2 wrongs don’t make a right. If someone breaks into your property you let the cops handling it. Skoth and Ston shouldn’t have been getting all the kids high and drunk at the studio. The studio was nothing but a party house. Here’s an idea keep it professional!!
      I personally know one of the victims and he now has 2 plates in his jaw and almost had his toe cut off by a samurai sword. He had nothing to do with the break in at the studio. Facing life in prison over a computer and a play station 3… Very intelligent!!
      Nice Guys?? I think not

  7. Seems wierd that they would do somthing without “probable cause” they are all adults but being masters of self defense and respect im pretty sure this victim is not as innocent as it makes him look ppl dont harm for no reason this guy had to of done somthing to them and to the marijuana thing more than half of the antelope valley either sales or grows our city is a crime itself

    • Smells Fishy…..it sounds like the victim is a bit unstable…now the DA wants a conviction. …The DA will do anything to get that conviction, they will “bully” the victim into doing it…Lancaster courthouse? Please. …guilty until proven innocent

      • So True…The DA’s bully the victim because that’s all they want is a conviction at ALL COSTS!!!! I hate to say it but the jury panels out here are also mainly for conviction because they don’t want to be bothered with facts and if you are on a jury panel and find the defendant innocent the rest of the jurors out here bully you to find them guilty as well because they would rather be at home then wasting their time on jury duty!!!

  8. Well I guess its been a long time coming… but I still have a question… What truly happened to Jimmy?

  9. These men need to be watched, forget if the victim had a record, obviously these men are dirty. Dirty people find other dirt bags to hang around. And as for the comments on here, I fell like these are people who either do drugs with him or their supply has been cut short due to this arrest and are sticking up for them. As for the person that refuses to pull their children out of this class, if you agree with them growing drugs, then go ahead keep your children in here , what a wonderful example. I applaud you oh wonderful parent. What if this had to do with sexual abuse ? Would you think twice then?

    • Who are you to judge,Ive been friends with these guys for a very long time.Get your story straight. If you knew them then you would not speak Lame…

      • I can only assume the people on here defending them stand to gain somthin from these two guys. Stop trying to bully people in to thinking they are innocent. THEY ARE GUILTY. I could care less if you know them. It just means you know what they do and ignore it or join in and deny. There is no other options. This stupid,just like they were when they chose to beat up a teenager. They are bullies with a store front.

  10. The comments here are funny. Most people say they know the suspects and they couldn’t have done this. So lets see: A victim says he was kidnapped, burned with cigarettes, cut with swords, & beaten. Now you’d think that evidence would be hard to fake and plain as day on the victim. So, sheriffs do an investigation. They find a marijuana grow operation, a convicted felon with a gun, & additional evidence before even going to the school. Obviously, there’s some truth to the story or deputies would have even bothered to get search warrants.

    And all of you say what great guys they are. This 18 tyr old must be a genius to be able to put such a great case against them.

  11. I refuse to judge until the whole story comes out!! I have three of my children being trained by Master Ston. He has been incredible. No, I am not removing my children from this academy and so not automatically believe this whole story. These guys could kill with their bear hands if they wanted, yet they kidnapped beat burnt tortured a man? Hmm!! And then released him even though he knew them? Hmm! That doesn’t look like much of a weed grow to me. I don’t think any of this is ok,but the media knows how to pump things up when they want and knows how to cover things up if they want. I would like to know the truth….

  12. True facts, no person or people should take the law in there on hands, also if you are real person you don’t snitch either, but we live in a city where they do steal, lie and tell on the next just not to catch a case or save thy own self.. those who know of them they know, those who think they know of them they don’t…hope all is false allegations. .

  13. Does anyone have any useful information on this case? Are you all here just to let your frustration out about the bills you never paid so they took legal action and for there cocky attitudes, and some flaws that they might have? Go ahead who wants to through the first stone? I’m not saying they are saints. I’m not saying they are thugs. Personally I have never been threatened, scared, used, abused, or even pushed aside and disrespected by them. They treated my whole family with respect and when ever we needed the help they were there for us. Now that that’s over why doesn’t the media talk about this “victim” who is this guy? What is his name? What did he do? Is he involved in the drugs? Is his record clean? Why are we all not asking these questions instead of just believing everything we hear? The actions taken upon this 18 year old ADULT are not justified. But I also know ston and skoth are not horrible guys. We all have made some bad decisions, this extreme or not. They are going to lose a lot and pay for whatever my have happened. Wait till all the facts are filled in before all the judgement. My heart goes out to Ston, skoth and the family. As well as the 18 year old and his family.

    • They kidnapped and tortured someone and countless people have come out with stories of other violent things they have done to not only men but women. It was about time they pay for the things they have been doing to people in this community for over a decade.

    • Of course, when someone finally comes out and is scared for their life, society then points the finger on the abused wife, rape victim, beat child, ect. You just perpetrate of the cycle of beating victims down so they have no support.

    • I agree 100%….always great with my kids and very polite to me! Always 2 sides to the story and we are not getting all the facts!

  14. I luv how the media hypes things up with one sided story! Did they even look into the so called “victim” background???? What I heard on the street is that this victim broke into their academy twice and stole a bunch of stuff. I also heard the victim is not all there in the head. What would u do if ur [removed] gets stolen, not once but twice!! I know these guys and they don’t just go around torturing innocent people as claimed by the media!

      • However, do you think now they will pull the marijuana card out and God only knows their excuse for having one. Maybe all the pain that comes from their occupation! Think about it! They bound to use the marijuana card excuse….it was for personal use…Mark my words.

    • There was never a braek in that piece of whatever
      the bastarsts did nt pay the rent and where evited. Hahe you read the door posting?
      “closed due to leaks”
      [removed]

      • There was a leakage. The landlord told me so. Did u even ask before u make quick judgements? If he was evicted, I’m sure the landlord would post that. Don’t u think? Don’t be so quick to judge and accuse someone of something when u know nothing of the story. It seems like u love negativity pouring in.

    • Really? What just came out of your mouth was so ignorant. I have met these two before and believe you should be innocent until proven guilty. But seriously, just cause you say the kid wasn’t right within his head justifies him being tortured? That was a disgusting comment. Whatever the kids criminal back round is or if he’s mentally ill doesn’t mean you beat him. Whatever happen to we are all Gods people?

  15. They are Good guys, don’t believe a word of this mess, teenagers lie on people now days if they don’t get there way.

  16. My 8 years old son attend Master Ston academy in Quarts Hill. Master Ston is a great motivator for my son. My wife and I stop bringing our son to the academy because I had to relocate for my job. He is very humble and respectable individual. When I found out this out in the news it differently threw a curve ball, it does not fit his character. I hope the trail end up with a not guilty verdict for these guys.

    • Someone must have bee hit way to many times in the head! They caught them growing weed an had firearm an other drugs!! They ain’t no Masters to me but Master thugs!

  19. Ive known them since elementary… hung out everyday at winchells with them. All of this is very shocking, . Do i believe something like tgis is really happening to my friends? No.im still trying to figureout if ever, when they became “bad guys”. Smh. Stin and skoth have always been like family yo me, and i still do not belueve they have done what im reading. I mean, is this kid lyin. I love ston and skotg and their family.

  20. Well I actually dont like em they like to present themselfs respectful guys but seriously
    you dont know who is around you anymore.. to think there perfessional becuz they have been here in the av for so long well known too
    and this comes up.. I just never liked skoth cocky attitude doesnt even teach class just be in his office all the time.. but the payment always had to be on time.

  21. How is it that I know these guys well that Skoth actually has had (2) DUI’s and you don’t? How is it that I know Skoth actually gave the cops Ston’s ID to get out of one and you don’t? How is it that I know that I was actually propositioned by Ston that if I went and party with him after class that my kid get free lessons; how many other single mothers out there did this happen to. How come I know Ston was growing marijuana when he live in Palmdale and you who know him so well didn’t. Give me a break for those of you who claim to know him so well! How come I know that he would go to LA Clubs and bully people because he didn’t want to party up here and you didn’t? So many times, he and Skoth would pick fights in LA Clubs just to have someone else who came along clean up their drunken mess! And how well do you know Ston and Skoth….Get real.

    • most of that information isn’t exclusive to only you woman. Since you happen to know so much about those LA clubs you were probably there with him partying it up so don’t [removed] on our master’s name and pretend to be a saint. You only have negative things to say about him because you see that he’s in some trouble now, but i bet he’s even been helpful to you in the past just like with half of this community.

  22. These two boys screwed so many people! They also thought they were beyond reproach! They never grew up and realized what they could have had; very talented, but them thinking the would be the next “Bruce Lee” (which is why they took the last name coming from Cambodia) got them believing they were untouchable. Ask Ston’s ex-wife and Skoth many girlfriends what a “man” they are. Not Karma, but pay back is a “Bitch”. Thank God Seven has a good head on her shoulders. I know her brothers were always trying to pull her in. Now they can say hello to their friend “Arthur”.

  23. If the Av times doesn’t even know they are brothers,how much other information are they missing?

  24. Whoa. I went to school with these guys and my kids also went to their classes. Norway. They are nice guys.

    • Nice guys don’t sell drugs to children. My son told me they did and try to sell to my kids however they told me about it and pull then out from thier studio

  25. I went to school with their sister Sven. They seemed like nice guys every time I came across them.

  26. My friend knows them very well and there r good people. They r good with kids and this has to be a mistake. There has to be more to the story.

    • Is cool if you now that they good kids, but I now they are idiots, I dont go to clubs to drink I am a security officer and seen them get craezy

  27. Nobody knows ston and skoth as well as i do, as I’ve been their student and friend for over 12 years. They have been in our community for decades and have done nothing but positive things for it. They have helped thousands of young people boost their self-esteem and taught them how to defend themselves against bullies. Ask any student and they will tell you how kind and generous master ston is. Sure, skoth is a little snobby if you give him a beer, but if you ever need help with anything he would go above and beyond to make sure you’re taken care of, and that’s from personal experience. Don’t be so quick to judge them if you don’t know them, and they are not evil people. And not-guilty or guilty, they have left a positive impact on this community and whatever happened i’m sure there is a reason behind it.

    • And just what reason would be a valid justification for what they are accused of doing? (I am not saying they did or did do what they are accused of, just wondering since you said that there must be a reason for what happened, what that reason might be.)

    • Dear “Loyal Student”, you are so loyal that you will refuse to say that they sell drugs to other students. How in the world does that positively impact the AV? I hope that R. Rex Parris gets involved and gets these “mixed martial arts” thugs out of the AV. 12 years of turning a blind eye to a network of thugs that grew over the 12 years just proves your loyalty to these thugs is stronger than your conscience. Mr. Parris get your hand involved, this happened under your watch. Lancaster has a drone that captures 24 hours of video. Lets play back these brothers every step. The torture had to have been caught on this drone- let out the truth!

  28. I signed up my kids in there academy and after 3 weeks of barely going I received a letter from collections stating that I owed them money for a whole year, I went to them extremely pissed and demanded a explanation and to my surprise all they did was call a certain guy from collection infront of me and they asked them to take me off the list, it makes you wonder do they have connections everywhere is it as simple as that. After that I never took my kids back.

  29. Sounds like a couple of Thugs taking the law into their own hands….they’re getting what they deserve…it doesn’t matter who knew them (that’s you), or what you thought of them…break the law go to freaking jail…period

  31. Wow I can’t stand these guys. Skoth poured beer on my head one night for not sleeping with him and Ston is rude when trying to hit on my sister at work. I really never liked them so karma is just showing her face

  32. Karma for you not paying a bill you were contracted to pay and them in turn taking a legal route to get money you owed? You may need to look up the word Karma.

  33. WOW!!! this STON” guys mother hit me in his car December 8, 2004 at 20th Street West and K~8!! he was very coo with me on getting the accident situation handled!! you never know who you are dealing with!!!

  34. Well makes sense, as to why they have no money when it comes to the gym and its need, beggy for payments early, showibg up late for classes, and the break in to the studio i wouldnt be suprised if the boy they tortured had to do with that…i feel bad for there sister, she seemed completly different than them two but who knows…

    • They were evicted from their Quartz Hill studio two years ago. All their equipment was ceased!

  35. There has to be more to this kidnap and torture story. If these men were seriously trying to hurt this guy, why would they release him in the middle of town.
    The small weed grow? Big deal, personal use.

    • No honey I never took Ston up on his proposals; which is why I was respected by him; however, Skoth did charge to my credit card numerous charges for equipment, fees in advance and such; that is when I stood up and pulled my kid out of their classes.

  37. Karma is a terrible thing. We had our daughter at their studio and had to pull her due to what we were going through with her birth mother. They refused to cancel our contract and sued us for the amount owing. They even called her birth mother who had nothing to do with our contract and threatened her which in turn put our daughter in danger.

      • It seems the victims now, will be all those that did pay for contracts.
        And what’s the deal with contracts anyway? They couldn’t make a go at it with typical monthly billing?

    • Karma? You didnt pay your bill you contracted to pay, got legally sued and now somehow feel this equals Karma? Karma would be if somebody entered into a contract with you and didnt pay, not a person unrelated you you getting kidnapped and tortured. You may need to look up the word Karma.

      • Imnpretty sure she meant ston and skoth being petty and ending up in a [removed] situation andnow tthey’re probably going to jail not the kidnap victim lol.

        • I am pretty sure she is just mad she got sued. She commented on FB ” We had major issues with them when our daughter went there to the point of pulling her out. Glad we did”. Funny how on fb it was because of issues with ston and skoth, yet here it is because of the issues with the birth mom. Very sad when people like and or make stuff up to be part of the story.

          • Leak; that is funny if you were talking about their studio on 50th and Avenue M. It was clearly stated on the door; they were evicted. Everything, equipment, trophies, Pictures of Ston’s kid and all other students pictures were to open view while the eviction notice was posted on the door for four months! Their possessions were ceased and if they didn’t up their back rent, possessions were being held. Yea, he borrowed money to just get his stuff back, but totally losed thse lease and reopened once again on 47th. Know your facts!