3 people charged in 'Gilbert Goons' beatings accept plea deals
The first plea deals in "Gilbert Goons" attack cases brought since the death of Preston Lord have been accepted by three defendants.
Garrett Bagshaw, 18, Deleon Haynes, 19, and Jacob Pennington, 20, were arrested in January in connection with three separate group assaults in Gilbert and Pinal County.
The attacks were in December 2022, August 2023 and November 2023. Two took place at an In-N-Out Burger in Gilbert.
Their arrests, as well as more than two dozen others, followed a December investigation by The Arizona Republic that tied the fatal beating of Lord, 16, to the Goons, a gang of teenagers whose attacks on teens went unchecked for more than a year. The investigations into some beatings were shelved; others were not on the police's radar.
Lord was attacked at an Oct. 28 Halloween party in Queen Creek. He died two days later.
Three juveniles and four adults were arrested by police in March and charged as adults on counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the fatal attack on Lord. Two of them were previously arrested in connection to Goons beatings.
Gilbert was a nexus for Goons attacks. Authorities have since classified the group as a hybrid criminal street gang. But Gilbert police Chief Michael Soelberg said there was not enough evidence to bring additional charges.
Which Goons attacks led to guilty pleas?
Dec. 2, 2022: In-N-Out gang beating
In January, Gilbert police received videos of a December 2022 assault at In-N-Out.
The beating was filmed from different angles. There were multiple people attacked, but court records stated only one was willing to press charges. One victim told police he was beaten with brass knuckles.
Police arrested William Owen Hines, 18, Tyler Freeman, 17, and Pennington on suspicion of aggravated assault in late January. Hines is one of seven people charged in connection with Lord's killing.
Pennington was identified in court records as the person in the video wearing a purple long-sleeve shirt, purple pajama pants with doughnuts printed on them and white shoes. He was accused of shoving and punching a victim who other people were also attacking at the same time.
In an interview with police after his arrest, Pennington denied his involvement in the beating and appearance in the attack video. But he did identify himself in an undated photo from social media with Hines, Freeman and others on top of a parking garage. In the photo, all wore the same outfits as in the attack video.
Pennington pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in late April, which has a typical sentence of one year. But attorneys on both sides agreed to place him on supervised probation and have him complete 100 hours of community service.
His sentencing was scheduled for June 13.
Aug. 18, 2023: In-N-Out summer beating
Richard Kuehner's 16-year-old son was targeted by Goons in August after he complained to school officials he was being bullied. A group of the Goons first threatened him at his house, then later caught him at the fast-food restaurant.
The attack was filmed. Kuehner's son was chased, punched and kicked in the parking lot. A witness told police, according to court records, Haynes was involved in the beating and stole Kuehner's son's shoes.
Gilbert police initially shelved the case. They didn't reopen it until after being contacted by The Republic in December.
'Goon' attacks: Chandler moves forward with brass knuckles ban, teen party crackdown
In January, Haynes was one of six people arrested on suspicion of aggravated robbery and aggravated assault in connection with the beating. Prosecutors declined to charge two of the people who were arrested.
After first denying involvement in the attack, Haynes told police in an interview he took part in the beating and was in the video. He said he was upset because Kuehner's son and his friends were harassing someone else in the parking lot.
Haynes pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in early May, which has a typical sentence of one year. But attorneys on both sides agreed to place him on supervised probation and have him complete 100 hours of community service. The aggravated robbery charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
His sentencing was scheduled for June 3.
Nov. 18, 2023: Goons Wagon Wheel beating in Pinal County
Three weeks after the death of Preston Lord, a 16-year-old was attacked by a group near San Tan Mountain Regional Park in an area known as Wagon Wheel.
The attack was filmed. A boy was chased and beaten as he ran from several people using cellphones as flashlights. The attackers yelled obscenities at the teen and repeatedly used a racial slur.
In January, Pinal County deputies arrested Pennington and Bagshaw. Pennington told authorities in an interview he was defending a girl the victim had hit. He said he was part of the Gilbert Goons, and the gang's name came from a Snapchat group chat. Bagshaw told authorities in an interview he attacked the teen.
Pennington and Bagshaw were charged with aggravated assault. Pennington was also charged with disorderly conduct.
In late April, Pennington pleaded guilty to the aggravated assault charge. The disorderly conduct charge will be dismissed if a judge accepts the plea. Pennington's next hearing, where his plea and sentencing will be considered, is scheduled for June 10.
Bagshaw pleaded guilty to aggravated assault Tuesday and was ordered to complete a diversion program.
Elena Santa Cruz is a criminal justice reporter for The Republic. Reach her at elena.santacruz@gannett.com. Follow her on X @ecsantacruz3.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 3 charged in 'Gilbert Goons' beatings accept plea deals
