A preliminary hearing date was set for a Val Verde gang member and his girlfriend charged with mayhem and torture in a dayslong assault against a woman back in March.
Justin Steven Montoya-Gonzalez, 25, aka “Manos,” and Margaret “Maggie” Harrison, 42, are charged with seven counts, including aggravated mayhem, torture, kidnapping, assault and criminal threats in connection with the abduction of a woman who has not been identified.
The preliminary hearing, which is set for Jan. 9, is scheduled to last about six hours, according to the minute order for an Oct. 29 hearing at Department G of the San Fernando Superior Court. During a preliminary hearing, the evidence is presented against the defendants, and a judge decides whether there’s enough to merit a trial.
Court records obtained by The Signal indicate the victim entered a Castaic firehouse March 16, saying she had walked from Hasley Canyon Road and Del Valle Drive, where she had just been forced out of the car and threatened with her life if she told anyone about her alleged assault.
Montoya had invited the victim over, according to the victim’s statements, and when Harrison arrived, the attack began.
The victim was then taken to Sunland and attacked, and deprived of food for a period of approximately three days, according to the detective’s report of the incident.
Detectives investigated the report and arrested Harrison on April 3 and later tracked down Montoya April 10, after a “Be On the Lookout” alert was issued to all law enforcement agencies.
Harrison is being held in lieu of more than $2 million bail. Montoya is being held without bail.
