Tyler Freeman was sentenced to 3 years for the attacks on Gilbert Guns

The 18-year-old was visibly shaken in court after prosecutors detailed what he did during and after the Gilbert Guns knuckleball attacks that left the teenagers hospitalized.

During Friday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors played video of Tyler Freeman’s beating and played jailhouse phone calls in which he joked about raping teenagers in a juvenile facility, planned revenge on others and cursed at Preston Lord.

“Tell him I told (expletive) Preston Lord,” Freeman said during a call this year, referring to the 16-year-old boy fatally beaten in an Oct. 28, 2023, gang attack. “He (expletive).”

Freeman apologized to the court and said that who he was then was not who he is now. According to him, it was embarrassing to see the video and phone calls.

“I want to be a better person,” Freeman said. “I want to prove to the victims that I have changed. And I really regret what I did.”

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Bruce Cohen gave Freeman a hearing and sentenced him to three years in prison, followed by four years of probation, in connection with the two attacks in late 2022.

“You didn’t consider those you loved, those you hurt. You didn’t consider your family and the pain, which is so obvious, that they suffered,” Cohen told him. “You have shown no consideration for all the people in Gilbert who are suffering.”

December investigation The Arizona Republic first linked Lord’s murder to the Goons, a gang of teenagers who recorded their brutal attacks on teenagers in parks and garages, outside fast food restaurants and at house parties. They shared the footage in group chats and on social media.

The attacks, mainly in Gilbert, were not stopped by the authorities for more than a year.

In court, Freeman was supported by his family, who solemnly shook their heads as prosecutors presented their evidence.

His mom told Cohen that her son’s life changed dramatically during the attack, but said he was a good person who now wants to start over.

“What was played was terrible, but he took responsibility,” said Don Freeman, choking back tears. “I know his heart.”

Cohen asked Freeman to explain some of the comments he made during the prison calls, including those about Lord.

Freeman said he became angry after his ex-girlfriend told him another person had hit him. The man was friends with the Lord, he said, so he wanted to pounce. Freeman admitted that he shouldn’t have said that – at the time he thought it would make him feel better.

Freeman also explained the origins of the Goons, which authorities classified as a criminal street gang. Freeman described it as a group of friends.

He made a couple of friends in high school, he said, and wanted to impress them because they were into drugs. They continued to hang out in high school and he said they liked him better after he and the others got into a fight.

“I loved the attention I was getting,” Freeman said.

According to him, everything changed for him after he learned what it was like to be beaten with a knuckle duster and heard that a knuckle duster was attacking a victim, Connor Jarnaghanforgave him

“When I heard that, I remember just crying, because if the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t forgive myself,” Freeman said. “I would try to get revenge.”

Gilbert police have not been able to link the beating of the teenager to a group of attackers

In 2023, Freeman was convicted of two attacks that Gilbert police were unable to link to gangs.

Police and prosecutors viewed Freeman as a lone assailant in the two knuckleball cases, although reports at the time indicated that gangs of teenagers were involved in the attacks.

At the time, police said Freeman and his friends carried out “unprovoked attacks” on random strangers. The teenager also admitted to “several instances of leaving the house with the plan to attack people for no reason.”

Freeman was held for nearly three months before being placed on probation and ordered to spend five months in a mental institution.

A report obtained by The Republic in June revealed that Gilbert police investigating the attacks on Freeman had received evidence that thugs were bragging about attacking “30+” people. months before Lord’s murder, but dismissed it as unsubstantiated.

Prosecutors shared some of that evidence — the Snapchat messages — during Friday’s hearing. They included Freeman telling his friends that they should start killing cops and become an official gang already.

Freeman convicted of assaults at In-N-Out Burger house party

Freeman’s attorney said his client’s case was unusual because the new arrests coincided with his juvenile rehabilitation efforts. He said Freeman was making progress in recovery when he was arrested and charged with other assaults as an adult.

“He’s being punished for something that preceded all the work he did and all the crimes he committed that landed him in juvenile court, which is not a normal progression,” Gregory Zamora said after the hearing.

Police arrested Freeman this year in connection with four beatings since 2022, but he was charged in only two of them. He pleaded guilty to both counts in August.

Beating at Gilbert Guns party, November 2022: 4 arrests

Nine people attacked a teenager at a house party near Gigley and Riggs roads. Meatballs were used. In January 2024, four people were arrested.

On November 22, 2022, the victim was beaten after he asked several people to leave a house party in Gilbert. The attack was caught on video, showing nine people surrounding the teenager, taking turns punching and kicking him.

The attack was not reported until January 4, 2024. Police arrested Freeman, William Owen Hines, 18, Jacob Meisner, 17, and Kyler Renner, 19. Hines pleaded not guilty; Meissner admitted his role and received probation. Renner has not been charged.

Among them are Hines and Meissner seven are charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in the Lord’s murder. All pleaded not guilty.

Freeman was also charged in the Dec. 2, 2022, attack at the Gilbert In-N-Out Burger parking lot.

That beating was also recorded. In one clip, Freeman mockingly encourages someone to fight by saying, “Step on me (expletive).” He starts throwing multiple punches as the others jump. Another 26-second clip shows the victim being dragged, pushed and punched by several assailants among a crowd of teenagers.

Gilbert Guns In-N-Out Gang Beatdown December 2022: 3 Arrests

Seven people were involved in the attack, which injured several victims. Meatballs were used. In January 2024, three people were detained.

That night, police responded to a “fight call” but left, saying they found no signs of a fight. They launched a new investigation in January after receiving video of the attack.

Three people told police they were assaulted during the gang attack, but only one was willing to press charges. According to him, Freeman beat him with a brass knuckle.

Freeman, Hines and 21-year-old Jacob Pennington were arrested and charged with assault. Hines pleaded not guilty, while Pennington pleaded guilty and received three years of probation.

Cohen convicted Freeman separately in each assault case.

In the house party attack, he gave Freeman three years for attempted aggravated assault and 2½ years concurrent for aggravated assault.

For the In-N-Out attack, Cohen sentenced Freeman to four years of probation after his release from prison.

The judge told Freeman that he was lucky in one respect.

“I think you’re fortunate that you’re not one of the co-defendants in the other case that I have before me, who are facing much more significant consequences,” Cohen said. “It’s not for lack of effort, because your behavior could easily have caused death. Just like their behavior.”

Elena Santa Cruz is a criminal justice reporter for The Republic. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on X @ecsantacruz3.

Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @robertanglen.