Authorities announced on Wednesday that five individuals have been apprehended for their involvement in violent assaults on minors in the East Valley during the previous year. One of the suspects has confessed to being affiliated with the infamous gang, Gilbert Goons.

According to the Pinal County Sheriff’s office, 20-year-old Jacob Pennington from Gilbert was apprehended on Wednesday morning for his role in an assault that occurred in San Tan Valley in November. In a statement of probable cause, Pennington revealed during a post-arrest interview that he was linked to the Gilbert Goons.

 

 

 

Christopher Fantastic, 18, was among four individuals who were taken into custody for their involvement in an August attack in Gilbert. Following Fantastic’s apprehension, the Gilbert Police Department announced the capture of three additional suspects related to the same assault. Aris Arredondo, 18, and two 16-year-olds were also charged with aggravated robbery and aggravated assault.

Investigators were able to determine the identity of the perpetrator, Pennington, in an assault on a 16-year-old boy that occurred on November 18th through the use of video footage and other forms of evidence.

 

According to the probable cause statement, a video depicts several individuals attacking the victim in a desert location near Wagon Wheel Road and Sun Dance Drive at approximately 9:45 p.m.

The court documents detail that Pennington was deemed responsible for initiating the conflict and was alleged to have struck the victim multiple times, including with a belt. Pennington claimed that he was protecting a female acquaintance who had been hit by the victim.

Fantastic was charged with assault with the intention to cause injury and aggravated robbery. His bail was set at $25,000, and he is due to appear in court on January 17th.

The arrest of Fantastic has led to the sealing of Maricopa County court records.

At his first court hearing on Wednesday morning, prosecutors claimed that Fantastic was involved in a group that organized and carried out a brutal assault on a minor on August 18 near an In-N-Out Burger. The Gilbert Police Department had previously shared images of individuals suspected in a violent robbery that took place on the same night in the parking lot of the restaurant near Williams Field Road and Market Street.

During the first court appearance for Fantastic, Brooke Gaunt, a Maricopa County Attorney’s Office representative, stated the victim was fortunate that their injuries were not more severe. According to Gaunt, the suspect’s actions could have caused permanent physical injuries, but the victim was fortunate enough to avoid them. However, it is expected that the victim will endure lasting emotional and psychological harm due to these occurrences.

According to Gaunt, Fantastic was implicated in a series of attacks alongside a group, without explicitly naming the Gilbert Goons.

In court, the prosecutor emphasized that this particular incident is not the only one that has occurred in the Gilbert community. It is just one of many attacks committed by a group that includes the defendant and other violent juveniles and adults. Authorities are worried about the ongoing victimization of the community and the possibility of future attacks if the defendant is not given a significant bond.

According to Gaunt’s statement to the judge, the allegation regarding additional assaults was obtained from the Gilbert Police Department.

During a town meeting on Tuesday, Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg reported that the department is currently looking into nine ongoing incidents of youth violence.

The Gilbert Goons have been connected to the attacks through media coverage and discussions on social media.

According to reports, the gang has also been connected to the deadly attack on 16-year-old Preston Lord, a student at Queen Creek High School. Lord was assaulted outside of a Halloween party on October 28th and passed away from his injuries in the hospital two days later.

On December 28th, the MCAO received charges against seven individuals from the Queen Creek Police Department.

According to County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, the process of reviewing the materials submitted last week will require a significant amount of time due to the extensive nature of the submission. This includes an 1,800-page report and approximately 2,000 pieces of evidence, including 600 videos.

Mitchell emphasized the importance of getting it right on the first try and expressed the desire to enter the situation fully prepared in order to effectively handle it. According to Mitchell, preparation is key to successfully addressing the issue at hand.

According to Mitchell, the Fantastic case is not connected to the Lord case.