Mom, daughter that broke laws together

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (Map, News) - A 57-year-old woman, charged with felony possession of a stolen car used to drive her daughter to a motel to perform sexual acts for money, was sentenced Tuesday to an eight-month jail term and three years probation.

Alice St. Julien was arrested April 18 along with her daughter, Alyson Grizzel, 39, and grandson, Zachary Meeks, 19, in a bizarre case that began after Grizzel allegedly posted a Craigslist ad in early April, describing herself as a “goth girl” with a 40-DDD bosom.

According to prosecutors, a San Mateo man responded to Grizzel’s ad and after their encounter, agreed to loan her his car, a 2000 Chrysler Sebring. Grizzel, however, did not return the car and instead gave it to St. Julien.

San Mateo police also noticed the Craigslist ad and reserved a room at a local motel to set up a meeting with Grizzel, Deputy District Attorney Morley Pitt said. The car was used by St. Julien to drive her daughter to the motel. Police, lying in wait for Grizzel, promptly arrested her. Authorities discovered methamphetamine, a syringe and prescription drugs on Grizzel.

Police also found St. Julien in the car with Meeks in the passenger seat outside the motel room. Charges against Meeks were later dropped because he was not driving and claimed he did not know the car was stolen, Pitt said.

St. Julien pleaded guilty to felony possession of a stolen car. She was given probation on the condition that she check into a substance abuse program. During her hearing Tuesday, public defender Eric Hove said that St. Julien expressed remorse to the victim for taking his car.

Prior to the incident, St. Julien was a former customer service representative for a property management firm. It was unclear where the family was from — either Hayward or Sacramento, Pitt said.

“A mom driving her daughter in a stolen car to a motel to conduct an act of prostitution and knowing what was going to happen — that’s kind of unusual,” he said.

Last month, Grizzel was sentenced to two concurrent two-year prison sentences for felony car theft, felony drug possession and misdemeanor prostitution. Pitt said Grizzel initially told police she was borrowing the car. He said she also resented being labeled a prostitute.

“Grizzel told police that she was not a prostitute, but a service provider,” Pitt said.

bfoley@examiner.com