Judge grants AG's request to dismiss kidnapping charges for Aja Lujan

Aja Lyrick Lujan, who was arrested as a co-conspirator in an April 13, 2024 kidnapping, was cleared of charges against her, said her attorney Mark Smith on Friday.

Lujan was originally charged with three felony charges, including complicity to commit kidnapping as a first-degree felony, and complicity to commit terrorizing, and felonious restraint, as third-degree felonies. 

According to a magistrate's complaint on the incident, Lujan was the driver for Noah Terence Cepeda when they drove to the victim's house to collect on a drug debt.

The victim got inside the vehicle and Cepeda allegedly said "Don't do anything dumb because I'll shoot you" and he told Lujan to drive away.

While parked at the Barrigada Shell Station, the victim was able to escape the car and go inside the store, where he told an off-duty police officer that he was being kidnapped.

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Lujan and Cepeda drove away, and police issued a wanted notice for the pair the same day. The two surrendered to police early the next day and were arrested.

In the motion for dismissal, Assistant Attorney General Aaron Boyce wrote that dismissal of the charges against Lujan was in the interests of justice as the co-actor and victim have signed declarations.

"Based on review of the case and these declarations, after an assessment of the strength of evidence, there may not be sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction," wrote Boyce, who filed the motion on Jan. 14, 2025.

Superior Court of Guam Judge Alberto E. Tolentino granted the motion, which was filed in court Thursday afternoon, and he ordered Lujan to be released from the custody of the Guam Detention Center.