Man convicted of Gilbert Goons attack in Pinal County Park

PINAL COUNTY, Arizona – An alleged member of the Gilbert Goons has been convicted for his involvement in an attack on a teenager in a Pinal County park.

On Monday, 20-year-old Jacob Pennington was sentenced to three years’ probation and 120 days’ suspended jail after pleading guilty earlier this year to aggravated assault in connection with the November 2023 incident, which was captured on video.

Previous reporting: Suspects accused of beating a teenager in a videotaped assault in Pinal County plead not guilty

According to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, the video shows the victim, who was 16 at the time, attempting to back away from Pennington, who continued to chase him. Court documents show that Pennington punched the victim in the face several times.

During Monday’s hearing, the victim’s mother testified and described the incident in more detail, saying the attack on her son was unprovoked.

“This attack was completely unprovoked, it seems as if the only motive was violence,” said the mother.

According to the mother, her son was attacked by a mob led by Pennington.

“Imagine the fear our son felt as he tried to reason with someone whose eyes were sparkling with bloodlust,” the mother said.

Attempts to bring the group to their senses were unsuccessful.

“Our son just backed away with his hands up and said, ‘I’m sorry, I just want to get away.’ These were his attempts to downplay the attack he felt was imminent,” she said. “Imagine the terror he felt when he saw the large group moving toward him and knew they were about to attack him.”

The mother described her son’s physical and mental trauma as devastating.

“He also hit our son with his belt. He did all this while the girls accompanying the mob surrounded him. They laughed and mocked our son as he shouted, ‘Stop, why are you doing this?'” she said.

She also said that Pennington yelled racist slurs at her son during the attack.

The mother also said that her family was terrified after the attack and that the family had installed a state-of-the-art security system for protection.

“The context of this attack is important. Jacob and his companions were known to terrorize those who opposed them. This was of paramount importance to our family as we fought for justice in the weeks and months following the attack,” the mother said.

Pennington is also scheduled to be sentenced later this week for his involvement in another attack in Maricopa County.

This attack occurred in December 2022 at an In-N-Out in Gilbert.

Pennington pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in May. The victim told police that brass knuckles were used in the attack.

VERSION IN SPANISH: I did not enter the prison again

Pennington’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

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