Teen sentenced to prison in multiple violent attacks in East Valley

An 18-year-old boy accused of using brass knuckles in several violent attacks on teenagers was sentenced to years in prison at the DOC on Friday morning.

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

NOVEMBER 2022 ATTACK

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

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

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

But he said the situation escalated quickly.

“That’s when they attacked me,” Jorgensen said. “From there it turned into one man; two men swinging at me, eight men swinging at me in a circle. I just remember one guy throwing brass knuckles at me (and) one hitting me in the head.”

Dale told ABC15 he felt called Come forward after Preston Lord’s death. Weeks later, multiple arrests were made, including Freeman, William Owen Hines, Kyler Renner, and Jacob Meisner.

Renner just Sentenced to two years in prison for three separate casesincluding one on youth violence. At last check, his statement regarding this attack was still under review. ABC15 has reached out to the Maricopa County District Attorney’s Office for an update.

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

RELATED: ABC15 speaks with Queen Creek police chief one year after Preston Lord’s death

DECEMBER 2022 ATTACK

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

Prosecutors told the court that at least one victim did not want to help with the prosecution out of fear.

NOVEMBER 2024 JUDGMENT

In court, prosecutors described Freeman as the “instigator” and leader of these attacks. They told the judge he used brass knuckles and showed videos of violent attacks.

They also showed the defendant’s Snapchat messages to other people, including youth violence suspects. These messages included threats against police and Freeman, specifically saying their group was making the streets of Gilbert “unsafe.”

Prosecutors told the judge that Freeman had not changed and played a series of phone calls made while the teen was in custody. In these calls, Freeman was heard threatening people with violence after his release, insulting Preston Lord and joking about using violence while in custody.

Freeman’s mother addressed the Judge and said her son was a good person whose life was turned upside down two years ago.

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

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

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

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

The group was at the center of a multi-agency investigation by Gilbert Police. In May, the ministry said they were classified. hybrid criminal street gang. However, Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg announced that there was not enough evidence for gang accusations.

So far, no one arrested in East Valley youth violence cases has faced gang charges.

Judge Cohen spent time speaking directly to Freeman as he handed down the teen’s sentence.

“You did not take into consideration the people you harmed,” Judge Cohen said.

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

Freeman’s lawyer, Gregory Zamora, said his client’s post-trial rehabilitation has already begun. He insisted that the teenager wanted to have a family and serve his community in the future.

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

The teenager’s lawyer said the phone call was “shocking” but Freeman said he was joking.

He told ABC15 he doesn’t believe it was meant to cause pain to the Lord family because it was done during what Freeman thought was a private conversation.