Minors Charged as Adults in Santee Stabbing

Prosecutors have filed charges against four males ages 16-19, stemming from a outside a Santee apartment complex on March 25.

Two are juveniles being prosecuted as adults in San Diego County Superior Court.  

All face multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the incident that, because of , carry the possibility of additional penalties.

Court records also show a third victim in the case, a minor, and a fourth suspect. Initial Sheriff's Department reports noted only three arrests.

The complaint filed in alleges the youngest defendant, a 16-year-old, had a hand in all three assaults that include two male victims initially named in reports, ages 18 and 19, and a third person named in court records. Prosecutors allege a knife was used in the attacks. The 16-year-old is currently being held in County Jail in downtown San Diego on $75,000 bail.

Another suspect, a 17-year-old, was booked into  County Jail in downtown San Diego on March 30 and is being held on $75,000 bail. The complaint alleges he also assaulted the three victims.

Christopher Ron Acevez, 19, who is free on $30,000 bail, is alleged to  have assaulted the 18-year-old and the third victim, while James Cody Southern, 18, is accused of assaulting the 19-year-old and third victim.

Southern is being held in the South Bay Detention Facility in Chula Visa  with bail set at $30,000.

A May 5 court date has been set to determine if the case can proceed, with  a preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to hold a trial on the charges set for May 23, according to Deputy District Attorney Joe McLaughlin.

The prosecutor declined to provide additional details in the case. The  juveniles were charged as adults "due to the severity of the crime," McLaughlin said.