St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo sentenced 30-year-old Yahya Maly to 291 years in prison for raping seven women, some of whom he lured through Muslim dating websites. The crimes spanned from February 2023 until his arrest in February 2025 after prosecutors revealed Maly used the alias “John” to lure victims to his apartment on Log Trail Drive in Ballwin.
Maly, an immigrant who became a naturalized U.S. citizen while studying at Logan Chiropractic College, maintained innocence during sentencing, claiming the case was a setup and expressing no remorse. Prosecutors detailed that one Muslim victim testified Maly took her hijab without consent, declared she was his wife, and threatened she would face hell if she did not perform “wifely duties.” The victim stated: “I was confused. This felt like the weirdest misunderstanding ever.” She reported being raped twice initially and returning a third time—only to be raped again. Another victim described being held for seven hours while subjected to multiple sexual acts.
A jury recommended 319 years in prison, but Judge Ribaudo reduced it to 291 years. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Price Smith noted: “I’ve been here 19 years, and I’ve never seen a sentence like this.” A victim who wished to remain anonymous described her decision to speak publicly as necessary for closure: “I was actually thinking about not coming into it because of just putting my energy out there. Then I knew I had to be brave enough.”
Maly’s attorney stated he intends to appeal his conviction, while Price Smith emphasized: “These women are no longer victims of Yahya Maly or anyone. Justice has been served.”
