Another person pleads guilty in filmed 'Gilbert Goons' beatings

The first person arrested in connection with a "Gilbert Goons" attack case since the death of Preston Lord has pleaded guilty, continuing a trend that recently emerged as cases related to the teen group beatings in the East Valley move through the courts.

In January, Christopher Fantastic, 19, was arrested in connection with an Aug. 18, 2023, attack at the Gilbert In-N-Out Burger. He was later arrested in connection with a second attack, which took place on May 29, 2023, at a Mesa park.

In a hearing Thursday, he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in both cases. The parties agreed he should be placed on supervised probation and complete 100 hours of community service in each case. His sentencing for both cases was scheduled for July 1.

More than two dozen arrests have been made in connection with Goons beatings since Lord, 16, was killed and, in recent weeks, four other people have admitted guilt or accepted plea deals.

A December investigation by The Arizona Republic tied the fatal beating of Lord to the Goons, a gang of teenagers whose attacks on other teens went unchecked for more than a year. The investigations into some beatings were set aside; others were not on the police's radar.

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 gang-related charges.

Fantastic was accused of an attack on Richard Kuehner's 16-year-old son in August.

Leading up to the beating, Kuehner's son reported to school officials that he was being bullied and he was threatened at his house.

The attack was filmed. Kuehner's son was chased, punched and kicked in the fast food restaurant's parking lot.

Gilbert police initially shelved the case. They didn't reopen it until after being contacted by The Republic in December.

Fantastic was one of six people arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault and aggravated robbery in connection with the beating. Prosecutors declined to charge two juveniles who were arrested. Aris Arredondo, 18, was charged with both offenses, but prosecutors later dropped the aggravated robbery charge. Two others were charged and have admitted guilt.

A 17-year-old was charged with aggravated assault. He admitted to that charge at an April 18 juvenile court hearing, court records show. The teen was placed on one year of supervised probation. Other conditions of his probation included 10 hours of community service and writing a letter to Kuehner's son.

Deleon Haynes, 19, was also charged in connection with the beating and, on May 1, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. Attorneys on both sides of his case agreed to place him on supervised probation and have him complete 100 hours of community service. His sentencing was scheduled for June 3.

Fantastic was also accused of an aggravated assault on a teen at a neighborhood park near Val Vista Drive and Pueblo Avenue in Mesa on May 29, 2023. He was also charged with assault, a misdemeanor.

This attack was also filmed and captured a boy being punched and kicked while he was on the ground.

A report was not filed with Mesa police until January. Within two weeks, police arrested Fantastic and Jacob Meisner, 17. Meisner is one of seven people charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in Lord's death.

For now, Fantastic is on supervised release with electronic monitoring and a curfew, according to a court order.

The mother of the victim in the Mesa attack spoke against Fantastic's release during Thursday's hearing. She said he needed to learn from his mistakes, and victims of all the teen attacks were still affected by what happened to them.

95 assaults, 29 arrests: 'Gilbert Goons' videos raise questions on lack of police action

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

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Another person pleads guilty in filmed 'Gilbert Goons' beatings