Gilbert Goons are officially designated as a criminal street gang

PHOENIX — The Gilbert Goons, who have been accused in multiple youth violence cases in the East Valley, were officially classified as a criminal street gang, police leaders announced Thursday.

However, the gang members won’t be charged with criminal street gang offenses in the ongoing cases out of Gilbert, police said during a press conference.

“Detectives have concluded that the group known as the Gilbert Goons has met the requirement to be documented as a criminal street gang as set forth in Arizona revised statutes,” Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg said.

He didn’t answer questions asking when authorities determined the Gilbert Goons qualified as a street gang.

“There is a process to classify someone as a gang and then classify individuals as gang members,” Soelberg said. “We started this investigation in November of 2023 and now, in May, it took roughly six months to conclude this investigation.”

He also didn’t say which suspects have been identified as part of the gang.

Gilbert Goons street gang involved in various youth violence cases

Before revealing the Gilbert Goons’ official new status as a designated street gang, Soelberg discussed Preston Lord, a 16-year-old student from Gilbert who died after a brutal group assault in Queen Creek in October of 2023.

“Preston Lord’s death has highlighted the issues of teen violence that has affected so many of our communities,” Soelberg said. “That is why this has been a unified effort by our respective law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate these group teen violence cases in each of our jurisdictions.”

These group teen violence cases have spurred public inquiry about whether law enforcement agencies should have clamped down on the Gilbert Goons sooner. However, Soelberg and other police leaders explained that classifying a group as a street gang is complicated.

“The simple act of creating a name and calling oneself by that name is not enough in and of itself to qualify for gang status,” Soelberg said.

Authorities described the different types of street gangs, such as hybrid and traditional gangs. The latter refers to more flexible gangs that allow members to be in other gangs. Traditional gangs are typically associated with pride and exclusivity.

“There’s not a different legal classification, versus hybrid, versus traditionally,” Soelberg said. The Gilbert Goons qualify as a hybrid gang.

He wasn’t sure if the official designation of the Gilbert Goons would help prosecutors build up their cases against suspected members.

“We are unable to charge these individuals who are involved in these gangs for additional charges of participating or assisting in a criminal street gang,” he said.

This information has been provided to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, which will look at their cases and see how the street gang classification will impact the way the suspects will be prosecuted.