Your Week with AZCentral: ‘Gilbert Goon’ gets probation. Now…

June 14, 2024
by RJ Hamster

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Your Week with AZCentral

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Fri Jun 14 2024

Raphael Romero Ruiz | Engagement Reporter

@raphaeldelag

Hey reader,

For months, reporters at The Republic have diligently chronicled the violent incidents committed by the members of the “Gilbert Goons” and the community’s ongoing quest for justice.

At the heart of this story are the teenagers and young adults from various parts of the southeast Valley who have engaged in violent assaults. This includes the death of Queen Creek teenager Preston Lord in October 2023. Many of these individuals are now facing charges in court for their involvement with the group.

This week, I spoke with Elena Santa Cruz, The Republic’s Criminal Justice Reporter, about the latest developments in the southeast Valley, including which “Gilbert Goons” have appeared in court and the charges they face.

With that, here’s what Elena had to say.

⚖️ Attacker gets probation in ‘Goons’ assault in Pinal County

First ‘Gilbert Goon’ pleads guilty

Just this week, a member of the “Gilbert Goons” was sentenced in Pinal Superior County Court for his involvement in a November attack on a 16-year-old in San Tan Mountain Regional Park. Jacob Pennington, 20, appeared in court and made no statement regarding the incident. Who is Pennington and what is he charged with? What was his involvement with the “Gilbert Goons”? What other ‘goons’ have appeared in court?

Elena: Jacob Pennington is the first person who admitted to authorities he was a “Gilbert Goon” and that it came from a Snapchat group chat. Although, this week his lawyer said Pennington, and others, used the group chat to discuss hangout plans, not plan fights.He’s been charged with aggravated assault in two Goons beatings and has pleaded guilty in both. He’s also been arrested in another Gilbert assault, but has not yet been charged.Pennington’s plea agreements and sentencings have been similar to what others who have admitted guilt or pleaded guilty to in Goons attacks, which is some sort of probation. We haven’t seen any jail time yet, and for some it seems to be that if they successfully complete probation, they can avoid jail time. But a lot goes into how a judge will decide how someone will be punished so we’ll be watching to see how many others who change their plea or go to trial receive the same sentence or if any of them receive jail time.

So far, about a handful of people arrested in connection with Goons attacks have admitted guilt or pleaded guilty, which now includes Jacob Meisner. What we’ve seen in the agreements is not jail time, but probation. And that’s because a lot of factors play into their punishment, which a judge ultimately decides on. But there’s been around 30 arrests in Goons beatings, so we’ll see if that same pattern of pleading guilty continues, or if any go to trial, for all those cases.

What’s a hybrid criminal street gang?

You mention that the “Gilbert Goons” has been classified as a hybrid criminal street gang by police. I know from your and our colleague Robert Anglen’s previous reporting that this group was not labeled as a “gang” or perceived as such by local authorities. How did we get to this label, “hybrid criminal street gang,” and what does that really mean?

Elena: It’s an uncommon, but not unknown, designation. A traditional gang is defined as having known leaders, formal rules, specific colors or symbols, a history behind the group and lifelong commitment by its members.

But according to authorities, a hybrid gang uses social media – which we have always said the Goons use to share their attack videos. Hybrid gangs are also diverse, have no code of conduct, members participate in multiple gangs and work with rival gangs, have no specific colors or symbols and change their name. Authorities also said the Goons are made up of people from multiple cities in the east valley and not specific to one location.

Like you said, we’ve been calling them a gang for months. And authorities say they came to the classification after more than 100 interviews and reviewing hours of video and social media shared with them since November.

What’s next?

The last time we had you in the newsletter, we asked you about what came next in this saga. You told our readers that things would slow down as the case proceeded in court. We now find ourselves in mid-2024. What can community members following this case expect before the end of the year?

Elena: Well, the trial for the Lord case was pushed to July of next year. Lawyers on both sides said the case was complex with multiple defendants and an overwhelming amount of evidence to sift through. So again, this is a case that will take time unless a plea offer is made to any of those charged in the meantime.

Outside of the Lord case, there’s been a recent pattern of plea deals being taken by those charged in Goons cases, like Meisner. So that’s something to be on the lookout for – seeing if more people will sign off on plea agreements, how they are punished and how that will affect other cases they might have. Especially for another Lord defendant, William Owen Hines, who has been arrested in connection with Goons attacks.

So far, most of those who have changed their plea have agreed to probation and community service hours. But punishment relies on a lot of factors, so we’ll be watching who might get jail time.

This newsletter is written by Raphael Romero Ruiz. Reach him at rromeroruiz@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @raphaeldelag.

Attacker gets probation in ‘Goons’ assault in Pinal Co.

Jacob Pennington, 20, was sentenced Monday in a Pinal County court to three years’ probation as part of a plea deal that could keep him from prison.

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