Saugus Snapchat suspects out of jail

SALEM – Two Saugus residents charged in an alleged sexual assault recorded and distributed on Snapchat this September were ordered released to house arrest after the alleged victim came to court to recant the allegations.”It’s been awful,” said Christine Bonia, the mother of defendant Kailyn Bonia. “It was just blown out of proportion … it’s been very hard especially when other people hear the news and take it at its word.”Rashad Deihim and Kailyn Bonia, both of Saugus, have been held without bail since September on charges including kidnapping, two counts of assault to rape, posing a child in a state of nudity and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older.The grand jury also returned youthful offender indictments for Timothy Cyckowski, of Saugus, for kidnapping, two counts of assault to rape and posing a child in a state of nudity.The teens are charged in connection with a Sept. 3 incident in which Cyckowski allegedly filmed Deihim and Bonia sexually assaulting an intoxicated 16-year-old girl and then allegedly distributed the videos via the mobile phone app Snapchat.The alleged victim, however, submitted a letter in January saying the sex was consensual and asked that her “friends” be released. She was summoned into court Monday to appear at a hearing for Deihim and Bonia where attorneys could re-argue the defendants’ bail.The alleged victim was in the courtroom but did not testify in court. Attorneys agreed the alleged victim said she had written the letter, although the letter was impounded.Attorneys did not argue bail for Bonia, agreeing that she be released on a GPS-monitored house arrest with exceptions that she be allowed to attend work and medical or attorney visits. Conditions of release also include that she have no contact with the witnesses or alleged victim, be randomly tested for drugs and alcohol and not use any prescription medications without the judge’s approval. Salem Superior Court Judge John Lu accepted the conditions and also ordered $50 bail to ensure that Bonia return to court for a GPS bracelet.Defense Attorney David Newton requested Deihim be released on the same conditions and, if necessary, a $2,000 bail. Newton told the judge that, of the counts facing his client, only a single assault to rape charge was alleged to specifically been committed by Deihim. Moreover, Newton said the video evidence that led to that specific count did not show Deihim’s face or record his voice; the witness identified Deihim through a common accessory on a keychain in the video.”This really undermines the Commonwealth’s case,” Newton said.Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall argued the alleged victim admitted remembering some but not all of the alleged incident, saying she “blacked out” at periods. MacDougall also described the alleged victim’s “extreme” level of intoxication and noted that Deihim had fled the state following Bonia’s arrest, triggering a search that garnered widespread media attention and social media posts where Deihim “essentially mocked police.”Salem Superior Court Judge John Lu ordered Deihim confined to 24-hour GPS-monitored house arrest with the exception of court appearances. Lu also ordered Deihim undergo random drug and alcohol tests, use no drugs except court-approved prescription medication, and post $1,000 bail to ensure he returned to court for a GPS bracelet.Family and friends of both defendants hugged each other and smiled after the judge made his ruling.Nadia Nahboula, Deihim’s mother, said that she knew her son was innocent, which he had steadfastly maintained while he had been in jail.”They’re just kids,” Nahboula said. “This was seven months that was just wasted,” she said, crying.Deihim’s father Fardad said the his son was bullied and beaten at jail because of the charges.Christine Bonia said she planned to take her daughter out for vegetarian food that she couldn’t get while incarcerated … then a friend pointed out that it would have to be brought