Man accused of murders got rehab instead of prison

Associated Press

Monday, Dec. 10, 2012 | 8:42 p.m.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office admitted Monday that prosecutors made a mistake when they let a man now accused in the fatal shootings of four people receive drug treatment instead of serving prison time when his case was heard in September.

Ka Pasasouk is accused of gunning down four people at a seedy boarding house in the San Fernando Valley. He was arrested this fall for drug possession while on probation.

Probation officials had recommended his imprisonment because of his long criminal record, according to the Los Angeles Times ( http://lat.ms/UQLZCX). But Pasasouk was deemed eligible for a drug diversion program under Proposition 36, which changed the "three strikes" law from mandated life sentences for anyone convicted of a third felony to require the third strike to be a violent or serious felony.

Pasasouk, 31, had convictions dating back to 2004 for methamphetamine possession, unlawfully taking a vehicle, robbery and assault likely to cause great bodily injury, according to court records.

Pasasouk is accused of fatally shooting 24-year-old Amanda Ghossein, 26-year-old Jennifer Kim, 34-year-old Robert Calabia and 49-year-old Teofilo Navales early Dec. 2 outside a home in Northridge. The house had as many as 17 people living there, despite not being licensed as a boarding house.

Code enforcement officials told the city council Monday that they found 75 violations at the property, which had been divided into small spaces with several entrances.

Three other suspects are under arrest in relation to the shootings: Howard Alcantra, 30, Donna Rabulan, 30 and Christina Neal, 33. They face charges of aiding a felon, and Alcantra is also accused of robbery.

All four are in Nevada awaiting an extradition hearing. They were arrested at the Silverton resort in Las Vegas last week.

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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com