Man lies to 911 about burglary, then women call screaming, California cops say

Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle

A man is accused of keeping two women against their will and torturing them at his California home, according to a sheriff’s office.

Gilberto Puga, 53, initially called authorities on Sunday, May 14, to say two women had burglarized his Moreno Valley home, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said in a May 17 news release.

The sheriff’s office, however, said it also got another call from two women at Puga’s home “screaming for help.”

When they arrived, deputies said they found two women walking away from Puga’s home.

An investigation showed the women “had not burglarized Puga’s residence but had been locked in Puga’s residence, held against their will and tortured,” according to the release.

Puga was arrested May 15 on counts of false imprisonment and torture, deputies said. He is being held on $1 million bail.

Moreno Valley is about 60 miles east of Los Angeles.

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