PHOENIX, AZ – Two individuals have been arrested in connection with violent attacks in the East Valley last year, authorities announced. Jacob Pennington, 20, of Gilbert, was arrested in connection with a November attack in San Tan Valley, while Christopher Fantastic, 18, was reportedly arrested in connection with an August assault on a minor in Gilbert. The arrests come after investigators used video and other evidence to identify Pennington in the Nov. 18 attack on a 16-year-old boy, according to Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb.
Pennington is accused of being involved in a video-recorded assault on the victim in a desert area near Wagon Wheel Road and Sun Dance Drive. In a separate incident, Fantastic was booked on charges of assault with intent to injure and aggravated robbery. The attack, which reportedly caused injuries to a minor, was described by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office prosecutor as planned, according to local media reports.
Reports have linked the attacks to a violent East Valley gang known as the Gilbert Goons, although it remains unclear if either arrest is directly related to the gang. Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg disclosed that the department was investigating nine active cases of youth violence, with media reports and social media speculation linking the Gilbert Goons to the assaults.
The arrests come as authorities in the East Valley continue to address a series of violent incidents involving youth. The fatal assault on Queen Creek high school student Preston Lord was one such case, as the 16-year-old was attacked outside a Halloween party in 2023 and later died from his injuries in the hospital. Following the recent arrests, investigators have suggested the possibility of additional arrests stemming from the cases. The precise details of these cases have not been disclosed.