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Two arson, assault suspects also charged with sex crime
Charges of unlawful sex with minors have been filed against two Yuba City men already charged with attempted murder in cases involving arson of a house and an assault on a convenience store clerk, Sutter County District Attorney Carl Adams said Friday.
The arson and assault apparently were committed in response to an investigation of the sexual offenses, which occurred in December, said Adams.
Kuljeet Singh, 20, was being held Friday in Sutter County Jail on $630,000 bail. Hardev Singh, 23, was also being held. His bail is $350,000. Adams identified four other suspects charged in the sex case but not in the arson and assault cases: Bhagwant Singh, Kuljit Singh, Max Masih and a male juvenile, all of Yuba City. None was in custody Friday, and one may have left the country, he said.
The juvenile charged in the sex case is not the 17-year-old charged in the assault and arson cases, Adams said.
The crimes and the length of the investigation "have caused great concern in the East Indian community," he said.
None of the crimes is considered gang-related, according to Yuba City police.
The fire at a house and car in the 1600 block of Oleander Drive was reported at 3:21 a.m. Tuesday. Police said an accelerant was used to start the blaze. Two elderly people were in the house but were not injured.
The assault at the AM PM Mini Market at Highway 99 and Bogue Road was reported at 3:34 a.m. the same morning. The clerk allegedly was beaten, then shot at — but not hit — as suspects Kuljeet Singh, Hardev Singh, Jasdeep Singh and the 17-year-old were leaving. All four were arraigned Thursday on attempted murder charges.
A spokesperson for the family of one of the alleged victims in the sex case said the family had been advised by their attorney, Amar Shergill, not to speak to the media until after Shergill meets with the Sutter County District Attorney's Office next week.
Shergill could not be reached for comment Friday evening.
CONTACT Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.
