A street gang terrorizing a sleepy Arizona town, dubbed the 'Gilbert Goons,' have been sued by a lawyer after a victim injured in a brutal beating identified the attackers.
The 'Gilbert Goons' went on a year-long attacking spree with near impunity, with at least a dozen attacks captured on camera.
Now, a Scottsdale lawyer is going after the 'gangsters' and their parents because the 'rich, entitled white kids' were 'dumb enough' to post videos of assault.
Scottsdale lawyer Richard Lyons filed a lawsuit against 17 individuals, identified as members of the 'Gilbert Goons,' accusing them of assaulting victims and sharing videos of the attacks on social media.
'These kids were dumb enough to document what they were doing,' Lyons said to AZ Central. 'What other person in their right mind would film it? They'd only do it if they thought they could get away with it — and for far too long, they did.'
Scottsdale lawyer Richard Lyons filed a lawsuit against 17 individuals, identified as members of the 'Gilbert Goons,' accusing them of assaulting victims and sharing videos of the attacks on social media
Gilbert police chief Michael Soelberg becomes emotional delivering update in Gilbert Goons case on Jan. 25, 2024. He acknowledged in January that initially, law enforcement did not link the assaults occurring in the same locations and involving the same individuals
The lawsuit, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, also targets 26 parents of underage Goon members, holding them responsible for their children's actions.
The Goons, described as a gang of 'rich, white' teenagers aspiring to emulate gangster culture, are accused of inflicting serious injuries on their victims, including skull fractures, facial fractures and concussions.
Additionally, they allegedly subjected victims to further harassment and threats of violence even after the assaults.
Lyons, representing a victim injured during an attack at a Gilbert In-N-Out Burger, stated that the lawsuits will extend beyond specific incidents and individuals involved in the attacks.
Anyone who contributed to the conspiracy, whether by direct participation, aiding attackers, or documenting the assaults, will be held accountable.
The lawsuit follows an investigation by The Arizona Republic revealing a pattern of assaults by the Goons, largely unchecked by authorities since 2022.
Several arrests have been made in connection with the attacks, but Lyons asserts that law enforcement's response has been insufficient, leading to continued threats and, ultimately, the fatal beating of 16-year-old Preston Lord at a Halloween party in Queen Creek.
Five arrests were made after a street gang dubbed the 'Gilbert Goons' plagued a sleepy Arizona town by attacking teenagers and robbing stores
'Preston's killers should have been in juvie,' Lyons said to AZ Central. 'Why weren't they arresting and charging these kids?'
'The young and completely innocent victims of these assaults suffered skull fractures, facial fractures, broken and missing teeth, concussions and other serious injuries,' Lyons wrote in a court filing.
'After many of the assaults, the Gilbert Goons continued terrorizing their victims by texting threats of further violence and even death threats ... contacting the victim's family members, driving by their homes and knocking on their doors,' he added.
Lyons said the Gilbert Goons openly embraced their name and its influence, particularly among fearful teenagers in the area who are afraid of being targeted for beatings.
'They were known for a long time,' Lyons said to AZ Central.
He criticized police and parents for neglecting to intervene in the beatings, drugs and other crimes.
According to Lyons, Gilbert's police department prioritized the city's reputation as the 'Second Safest Big City in America' over taking decisive action against the perpetrators, thus failing to protect the community's residents.
Out of the defendants named in the lawsuit, 13 have been arrested on suspicion of assault, with seven now aged 18 or older and two are facing charges as adults.
The seven who are now 18 or older include; Aris Arredondo, Christopher Fantastic, Gage Garrison, Deleon Haynes, Owen Hines, Jacob Pennington and Kyler Renner. Two others, Tyler Freeman and Jack Woods, are charged as adults.
Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg acknowledged in January that initially, law enforcement did not link the assaults occurring in the same locations and involving the same individuals.
While victims later referred to their attackers as Goons, Soelberg refrained from using the term 'Gilbert Goons,' instead labeling the incidents as 'teen violence' cases.
He clarified that while the department was initially unaware of the term, they were actively addressing instances of violent crime involving teenagers, despite not specifically identifying the perpetrators as members of the Gilbert Goons.
Jacob Pennington, 20, allegedly beat a 16-year-old high school student in the face and yelled racial slurs during an assault in a desert area in San Tan Valley, Arizona, on November 18, 2023
Christopher Fantastic, 18, is accused of aggravated robbery and assault after allegedly attacking a teen outside an In-N-Out location in Gilbert on August 18, 2023
'As we have shared many times, in the handful of cases that were reported to our department over the past year, none of our interviews with victims or reports ever used the term Gilbert Goons or provided information that the attacks were perpetrated by any members identifying themselves as a Gilbert Goon,' he said.
'While we weren't initially aware of the term, we were actively addressing the violent crime incidents involving teens during that time,' he said.
In a video, Police chief Soelberg can be seen tearing up in an emotional display, vowing to ensure safety in the community of Gilbert.
'I have lived here for twenty-nine years,' he said. 'We will do everything we can to make sure our community continues to be safe.'
Last month, Five arrests were made after a street gang dubbed the 'Gilbert Goons' plagued a sleepy Arizona town by attacking teenagers and robbing stores.
Jacob Pennington, 20, Christopher Fantastic, 18, Aris Arredondo, 18, and two 16-year-old juveniles were arrested for two separate incidents that occurred in August and November 2023.
Pennington allegedly beat a 16-year-old high school student in the face and yelled racial slurs during an assault in a desert area in San Tan Valley, Arizona, on November 18, 2023.
The arrest of Pennington was announced when Gilbert Police officials disclosed the arrests of Fantastic, Arredondo, and two unidentified underage suspects.
The four are accused of aggravated robbery and assault after allegedly attacking a teen outside an In-N-Out location in Gilbert on August 18, 2023.
The quiet communities in southeast Valley have been shaken by a string of teen violence since last year, resulting in multiple injuries and three deaths.
Preston Lord, 16, was beaten to death at a Halloween party in Queen Creek on October 28, in an incident where activists and parents believe the 'Gilbert Goons' were involved.
After the fatal beating of Lord was detailed by the Arizona Republic last December, authorities reopened multiple cases believed to have been conducted by a larger group of assailants.
Preston Lord, 16, was beaten to death at a Halloween party in Queen Creek on October 28, in an incident where activists and parents believe the 'Gilbert Goons' were involved
Hundreds of community activists took to the streets in late December to demand justice and raise awareness for Lord, two months after his tragic death
Victims and residents in the area described the group, dubbed the 'Gilbert Goons', as '20 or more, mostly white, upper-middle-class teenagers from multiple East Valley high schools,' according to the outlet.
Hundreds of community activists took to the streets in late December to demand justice and raise awareness for Lord, two months after his tragic death.
Authorities have since spoken out, as a page named 'Teen Violence Investigations' was established by the Gilbert Police Department in December.
Chief Michael Soelberg said on December 14: 'Recent alleged incidents of teen violence in Gilbert have heightened community awareness and we want to make it known that we condemn any violence within our community.'
Meanwhile, the police denied having investigated the 'Gilbert Goons' for the past two years and claimed to be unaware of the allegations of violent attacks by the group until recently.
After the fatal beating of Lord was detailed by the Arizona Republic last December, authorities reopened multiple cases believed to have been conducted by a larger group of assailants
Gilbert police were seeking assistance in identifying the suspects pictured in a series of low-resolution photos that captured a violent fight
Soelberg said, 'Social media and media reports allege that there have been police investigations involving a group of Gilbert individuals that have been targeting teens in the East Valley identified as the 'Gilbert Goons', a term of which Gilbert PD was made aware of via recent social media references.
He added, 'What we know at this time is that Gilbert PD does not have police reports from victims or suspects associating or connecting the named group to any alleged reported criminal activity in our community.'
Days after the police released the initial statement on the named group, authorities released multiple photos from the August 18 incident, in which they now say Fantastic is involved.
Gilbert police were seeking assistance in identifying the suspects pictured in a series of low-resolution photos that captured a violent fight.
At the time, the police did not explicitly say the 'Goons' were linked to the alleged assault and robbery in August.
Pennington, who allegedly hit the victim, held him down while others continued kicking him in the November attack, claimed association with the 'Gilbert Goons', according to court documents.
He reportedly told investigators that the 'moniker originated from a Snapchat group chat,' and he was defending a female friend who was hit by the victim.
'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, the statement reads.
'A 16-year-old male victim sustained minor injuries and declined medical treatment. He was not able to immediately identify his attackers,' the statement from the Pinal County Sheriff's Office reads.
'A video of the incident was later posted to social media. A Detective from our Criminal Investigations Bureau was assigned to the case and worked to interview witnesses and identify all individuals present that evening.'
Pennington's mother Alisha Tidwell said her son is not associated with the 'Gilbert Goons' in an interview with ABC15.
'I don't know why Gilbert PD stated that. A young woman was hit,' said Tidwell. 'And as Jacob turned around and saw her be hit, he just reacted.'
She added: 'I truly don't believe there's a Gilbert Goons group, I don't know why they are saying Jake self-proclaims to be a part of the Gilbert Goons.'
The details about the alleged attack on August 18 remain unknown after prosecutors asked for documents to remain sealed.
At the time, the police did not explicitly say the 'Goons' were linked to the alleged assault and robbery in August
The officials have not determined if the 'Gilbert Goons' can be classified as a criminal street gang under Arizona law
Days after the police released the initial statement on the named group, authorities released multiple photos from the August 18 incident, in which they now say Fantastic is involved
During Fantastic's initial court appearance, prosecutors argued that he's linked to a series of similar teen violence incident with 'a group the defendant belong to.'
But the judge said she doesn't have enough evidence, based on arresting documents, to link Fantastic to a 'gang of kids.'
Police said the investigation of the August 16 incident is 'independent and separate from Queen Creek's investigation into the death of Preston Lord.'
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in Januarary: 'I don't know where the name of 'Gilbert Goons' came from it. It doesn't seem to capture the seriousness of this. These are criminal acts.
'And we, of course, if they are doing this through an organized street gang-type situation, we will look at the enhancement of gang charges or whether it was in furtherance of a street gang.'
On January 9, officials announced that they are 'working with the Arizona Gang & Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM), the Mesa Police Department Gang Unit,' and other police units.
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