'Gilbert Goon' Jacob Pennington accused of violating probation, given 10 days in jail

A "Gilbert Goon" who avoided jail time in June for his role in two gang beatings will spend the next five weekends locked up over an apparent probation violation.

Jacob Pennington, 20, was arrested on suspicion of illegal consumption of alcohol just days after a Pinal County Superior Court judge told him any violation of probation rules could land him in jail for at least 120 days.

The same judge on Monday told Pennington she "was very shocked to learn" he'd been arrested for reportedly violating the terms and conditions she imposed.

"I know the one I highlight all day and every day to most defendants is they are not to possess or consume any alcohol or illegal drugs," Judge Danielle Harris said during a 12-minute hearing. "And I know I went over that with you."

But Harris, citing Pennington's completion of a 40-treatment program since his alcohol-related arrest and his continued employment, sentenced him to 10 days in jail on consecutive weekends beginning at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2.

"I am not imposing 120 days, but that still leaves 110 days," Harris said, reminding him that he holds the key to his continued freedom.

Pennington, dressed in a white button-up shirt, jeans and tennis shoes, said little during the hearing, giving polite and concise answers to the judge's questions.

He is not yet out of legal jeopardy for the alleged alcohol violation. He faces more possible jail time and even revocation of his probation in Maricopa County.

On June 10, Harris sentenced Pennington to three years' probation after he pleaded guilty for his role in a Nov. 18, 2023, attack on a 16-year-old boy near San Tan Mountain Regional Park in an area known as Wagon Wheel.

Three days later, on June 13, Pennington was sentenced by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to three years' probation in a plea deal over a Dec. 2, 2022, attack at the Gilbert In-N-Out Burger. Pennington agreed to obey all criminal laws and not to consume or possess alcohol.

Pennington also was sentenced in Maricopa County to 30 days' deferred jail time, which essentially acts as an incentive to follow probation terms.

Hours after the sentencing, Gilbert police arrested Pennington when the car he was riding in was pulled over near Lindsay and Elliot roads shortly before 11 p.m., and "evidence was observed which indicated Pennington had consumed an alcoholic beverage," police said.

Pennington's lawyer on Monday told Harris that Pennington's arrest presented an unusual circumstance because his client never met with probation officers before he was accused of violating terms.

He said that immediately after the allegation of alcohol consumption, Pennington enrolled and completed a treatment program and was set to begin outpatient therapy twice a week beginning July 30.

Phoenix lawyer Chris Doran repeatedly said in court on Monday that neither the Pinal nor Maricopa County probation departments have filed petitions to revoke Pennington's probation.

That's true as far as the probation departments are concerned. But Doran failed to mention the Maricopa County Attorney's Office filed a petition to revoke Pennington's probation shortly after his arrest on the alleged alcohol violation.

At a July 23 revocation arraignment in Maricopa County Superior Court, Pennington denied the alcohol allegation and said he did not violate probation.

A hearing, where both parties will argue whether Pennington violated his probation, was scheduled for Aug. 20.

Doran has argued police targeted his client, pulling over multiple vehicles in which they suspected Pennington was traveling and promised to investigate the circumstances of the vehicle stops.

After his arrest by the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in January, Pennington admitted to being a member of the Gilbert Goons, a gang of teenagers whose attacks on teens went unchecked by authorities for more than a year.

He said the gang's name came from a Snapchat group.

A December investigation by The Arizona Republic tied the Gilbert Goons to several other attacks since 2022, including the Oct. 28 fatal beating of Preston Lord, 16, during a Halloween party in Queen Creek. One of Pennington's co-defendants in the Maricopa County case, William Owen Hines, 18, was charged with first-degree murder in the Lord case.

Law enforcement in May classified the Goons as a hybrid criminal street gang.

Doran said in court records that Pennington is not a member of or affiliated with the Goons and that the fight at In-N-Out had nothing to do with the group.

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

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

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Gilbert Goon' Jacob Pennington gets jail in probation violation case