Breakthrough in 'Gilbert Goons' gang case as 5 people arrested after town shaken by sick beatings po

Posted by Reinaldo Massengill on Tuesday, May 7, 2024

FIVE people have been arrested for a series of alleged gang attacks on high school students.

The suspects, who belong to the so-called Gilbert Goons gang in Gilbert, Arizona, include Jacob Pennington, 20, who was allegedly involved in a November beating of a 16-year-old, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday.

The sheriff's office said the individuals are accused of being involved in two gang beatings of high school students.

Police said Pennington told investigators he was a part of the gang, local Fox affiliate KSAZ-TV reported.

Pennington has been accused of beating a 16-year-old student from Casteel High School on November 18, 2023.

The 20-year-old reportedly told police the attack started as he sought to defend a female friend.

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He claimed his friend had been hit by the victim.

Investigators have said witnesses saw Pennington hitting the victim in the face several times.

A video of the fight also shows Pennington hitting the victim, police said per KSAZ-TV.

The victim reportedly tried to run away, and Pennington allegedly ran after the teen and yelled racial slurs.

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He has been accused of continuing the beating after catching up to the victim.

Additionally, he has been accused of holding the teen down while other individuals kicked the student.

"The victim was eventually assisted up by a friend, and was able to flee from Jacob and the other assailants on foot before speaking with law enforcement," police said, according to KSAZ-TV.

Police have said the victim sustained minor injuries due to the incident.

Pennington made his initial appearance in court on Wednesday in which he "admitted he is associated with a violent group of people who are assaulting and injuring minor kids in the Valley," prosecutors said, per The Arizona Republic.

A judge set Pennington's bond at $5,000 and barred him from contacting the victim and anyone connected to the Gilbert Goons.

The gang's name reportedly stems from a "moniker" that "originated from a Snapchat group chat," police have said, KSAZ-TV reported.

The gang has been accused of violently attacking teenagers in the region by hitting, kicking, and beating with brass knuckles, according to a December investigation by The Arizona Republic.

Records reviewed by the outlet reportedly show one boy was hospitalized due to a cracked skull following one alleged attack.

The gang is reportedly made up of roughly 20 or more upper-middle-class teenagers from several high schools in East Valley.

The investigation found that a majority of the alleged members are white.

Alleged members of the gang have reportedly been linked to each other through social media posts and videos of the attacks shared online, according to The Arizona Republic.

The gang has also been accused of bragging about the attacks on social media between themselves.

"What surprised me was how extreme these kids have become," Kristine Brennan, a mother in Gilbert told the outlet.

"[They're] flaunting clips on social media, bragging about beating kids, tagging police in videos."

The attacks appear to be random and little connects the victims to each other, according to the outlet.

Police have indicated that there may be more arrests following the Wednesday announcement.

A second beating is reportedly connected to the August 18, 2023 attack on a 16-year-old who was at an In-N-Out Burger in Gilbert.

Richard Kuehner, the father of the victim, told The Arizona Republic that the assailants kicked and stomped his son and stole his shoes.

Keuhner claimed his son arrived at home covered and blood.

He was then rushed to the emergency room.

"My son has suffered and had to change his whole life as a young man because of these kids," he told the outlet.

"And they just go on like nothing happened, and they’ll probably do it again.”

Christopher Fantastic, 18, has been arrested in connection to the beating and faces assault and robbery charges, according to The Arizona Republic.

Aris Arrendondo, 18, and two other juveniles, who have not been publicly named, were also cited over the attack and face the same charges.

Fanstastic is being held on a $25,000 bond.

Prosecutors claimed Wednesday that the attack was retaliation for the victim reporting threats he had received to school officials.

Police are still investigating the incident and other possible suspects involved.

Many students and parents in the region have claimed that members of the Gilbert Goons were also involved in the fatal beating of Preston Lord, 16, on October 28, 2023.

The teenager was reportedly beaten to death at a Halloween party.

No one was identified as a suspect or charged over his death.

While locals have attributed several other attacks to the Gilbert Goons, the gang has not been specifically mentioned by authorities.

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Police told The Arizona Republic that is does not have any police reports associating the gang "to any alleged criminal activity."

Additionally, police have said none of the victims specifically mentioned Gilbert Goons.

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