Indiana man convicted of federal charges in 'violent, race-based' gang investigation
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Update: Aaron Rentfrow was convicted Oct. 3, 2022 of assault with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury and attempted murder by a federal jury, according to a news release from the United States Department of Justice.
An ongoing federal investigation into a "violent, race-based" gang called the Aryan Circle has led to two Indiana men facing charges.
The Department of Justice announced last week that 24 people were indicted on racketeering, firearms and drug charges as part of Operation Noble Virtue. Some of those charged include suspected members and associates of the Aryan Circle, a gang DOJ says operates inside and outside of federal prisons in several states, including Indiana.
Kevin Kent, aka "Big Kev," 35, Indiana, is listed in one indictment in which 11 people allegedly associated with the gang are charged with various crimes, including murder and kidnapping.
Kent is accused of forcing another gang member from his Missouri home at gunpoint and taking him to a gang leader's home where they burned the man's gang tattoo with a heated metal pipe. He is charged with violent crimes in aid of racketeering and kidnapping.
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In another indictment, 40-year-old Aaron Rentfrow, aka “Mongo," of Indiana, is accused of assaulting someone with a dangerous weapon in Mississippi in order to increase his position within the Aryan Circle. He's charged with assault and attempted murder.
According to DOJ, the Aryan Circle was created inside the Texas state prison system in the mid-80s. It's described as a "whites only" criminal organization that traffics guns and drugs. The gang enforces its rules "through murder, attempted murder, assault, and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the organization," a DOJ release states.
Operation Noble Virtue has led to 17 federal convictions in six different jurisdictions to date.
Contact IndyStar reporter Elizabeth DePompei at 317-444-6196 or edepompei@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter: @edepompei.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Aryan Circle gang investigation leads to conviction of Indiana men
