Teen sentenced to prison for multiple brutal attacks in East Valley

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

Tyler Freeman pleaded guilty to two aggravated assaults, 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 video of the assaults and heard shocking phone calls from prison that prosecutors say Freeman made while in custody.

ROBBERY IN NOVEMBER 2022

Freeman was arrested earlier this year for multiple attacks that occurred in 2022.

The first was held in November of that year at a house 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 attack to police.

“The party got 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 leave.”

However, he added that the situation quickly deteriorated.

“Then they jumped at me,” Jorgensen said. “From there it turned into one situation: two guys rushing at me to eight guys waving at me over and over again. I just remember one guy throwing brass knuckles at me (and) one of them hit me on the top of the head.”

Dale told ABC15 he felt called to do this reveal itself after Preston Lord’s death. Several weeks later, multiple arrests were made, including Freeman, William Owen Hines, Kyler Renner, and Jacob Meisner.

Renner was simply sentenced to two years in prison for three different casesincluding one related to violence among teenagers. At last check, his statement regarding the assault was still pending. ABC15 has reached out to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for an update.

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

December 2022 attack

Both Hines and Freeman were also arrested in connection with a separate robbery 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 out of fear.

JUDGMENT OF NOVEMBER 2024

In court, prosecutors called Freeman the “inciter” and ringleader of these attacks. They told the judge he used brass knuckles and showed videos of the brutal assaults.

They also showed the defendant’s Snapchat messages to other people, including suspected teenagers. These messages included threats to police, with Freeman specifically telling people that their group was making 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. During these conversations, Freeman could be heard threatening people with violence after his release, insulting Preston Lord and joking about violence in custody.

Freeman’s mother turned to the judge and told him her son was a good man whose life spiraled two years ago.

“I want to start over,” Dawn Freeman said. “What was played was terrible, but he took responsibility.”

Freeman’s attorney said his client was on a better path before he was arrested for the assaults. The teenager also spoke out and apologized for his behavior and said the phone calls showed no remorse.

Judge Cohen asked Freeman a series of questions about the conversations and his intentions. He also asked Freeman if he was a member 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 department said they were classified as: hybrid street crime gang. However, Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg announced that there was insufficient evidence for gang charges.

So far, no one arrested in connection with teen violence in the East Valley has faced gang charges.

While sentencing the teenager, Judge Cohen spoke directly to Freeman.

“You failed to take into account those you harmed,” Judge Cohen said.

Ultimately, he sentenced Freeman to two and a half years and three years in both cases, but the sentences will run concurrently. The judge also said Freeman would also receive 268 days of credit.

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

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

The teen’s attorney said the phone call was “shocking,” but Freeman said he was joking.

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