Teen sentenced to prison in multiple violent East Valley attacks

An 18-year-old accused of using brass knuckles in several violent attacks between teenagers was sentenced Friday morning to years in DOC custody.

Tyler Freeman pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault, one stemming from an attack at a party and the other at Gilbert In-N-Out. In court Judge Bruce Cohen heard from prosecutors, Freeman’s family and Freeman himself. Judge Cohen also watched video from those attacks and heard shocking calls to the jail that prosecutors say Freeman made while in custody.

ASSAULT NOVEMBER 2022

Freeman was arrested earlier this year for multiple assaults dating back to 2022.

The first in November of that year at a party on the edge of Gilbert and Queen Creek near Higley and Riggs roads. ABC15 spoke with the victim, Dale Jorgensen, in February shortly after he reported the assault to police.

“The party got a little out of hand, so I told people to leave,” Jorgensen said. “I went up to a group of kids and told them they had to go.”

But he said the situation quickly escalated.

“That’s when they pounced on me,” Jorgensen said. “From there it turned into one, two guys swinging at me to eight guys swinging at me in a circle. I just remember one guy throwing brass knuckles at me (and) one hitting me at the top of the head.”

Dale told ABC15 he felt called to come forward after the death of Preston Lord. Weeks later, more arrests were made, including Freeman, William Owen Hines, Kyler Renner and Jacob Meisner.

Renner was just sentenced to two years in prison for three different casesincluding a teenager linked to violence. At last check, his filing in this attack was still under review. ABC15 has reached out to the Maricopa County Prosecutor’s Office for an update.

Hines and Meisner were charged with murder in the death of Preston Lord.

DECEMBER 2022 ASSAULT

Both Hines and Freeman were also arrested in a separate attack that occurred in December 2022 at the Gilbert In-N-Out. Jacob Pennington was also charged with assault and sentenced to probation in June.

Prosecutors said in court that at least one victim did not want to help with the prosecution because of fear.

SENTENCE NOVEMBER 2024

In court, prosecutors called Freeman the “instigator” and ringleader of those attacks. They told the judge he used brass knuckles and showed videos of the violent attacks.

They also showed Snapchat messages from the defendant to other people, including suspected teenage abusers. Those messages included threats to the police and Freeman specifically telling people that their group made the streets of Gilbert “unsafe.”

Prosecutors told the judge they believed Freeman had not changed and played a series of phone calls made while the teenager was in custody. In those calls, Freeman was heard threatening people with violence once he was released, insulting Preston Lord and joking about using violence while in custody.

Freeman’s mother addressed the judge and told him her son was a good person whose life had turned around two years ago.

“He wants a fresh start,” Dawn Freeman said. “What he played was horrible, but he took responsibility.”

Freeman’s lawyer said his client had been on a better path before he was arrested for the attacks. The teenager spoke out and apologized for his actions and said the calls did not show the remorse he had.

Judge Cohen asked Freeman a series of questions about the calls and his intentions. He also asked Freeman if he was part of the Gilbert Goons.

Freeman initially said no and then described it as a “group of friends”.

The group was the focus of a multi-agency investigation led by Gilbert police. In May, the department said they were classified as a hybrid criminal street gang. However, Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg announced there was insufficient evidence for the gang charges.

So far, no one arrested in East Valley teen violence cases has been charged with gangs.

Judge Cohen spent time speaking directly to Freeman as he sentenced the teenager.

“You have no regard for those you hurt,” Judge Cohen said.

He ultimately sentenced Freeman to two and a half years and three years on the two counts, but those sentences will run concurrently. The judge also said Freeman will also receive credit for 268 days served.

Freeman’s attorney, Gregory Zamora, said his client’s rehabilitation has already begun. He insisted the teenager wants to have a family and serve his community in the future.

“It was unfortunate that he was brought into a case that has nothing to do with the Lord family,” Zamora said.

The teenager’s lawyer said it was “shocking” to hear, but that Freeman said he was joking.

He told ABC15 he doesn’t think it was meant to cause the Lords distress because it was made during what Freeman believed was a private conversation.