Following a four-week trial, three members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang were convicted of racketeering activities that included murder, drug trafficking, fraud, and robbery. Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced the verdicts delivered by a federal jury in Fresno, California.
John Stinson, 70, an inmate at California State Prison, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity. Francis Clement, 58, also an inmate at California State Prison, was convicted on similar charges and five counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Allan Roshanski, Ruslan Megomedgadzhiev, Michael Brizendine, James Yagle, and Ronnie Ennis. Kenneth Johnson, 63, another inmate at the same facility, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Allan Roshanski and Ruslan Megomedgadzhiev.
The court documents and evidence presented during the trial revealed that between 2015 and 2023, Aryan Brotherhood members engaged in various criminal activities including murder conspiracies, frauds, robberies, and drug trafficking crimes. The defendants used smuggled cellphones to direct these criminal acts while controlling gang membership. Stinson held a leadership role within the gang with significant authority over its operations.
Several other individuals charged in connection with this case are awaiting trial. Jayson Weaver and Waylon Pitchford are scheduled for trial in April 2026; Andrew Collins is also set for April 2026; Evan Perkins has a pending trial date; Justin Gray's trial is scheduled for September 2025. All remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case resulted from an extensive investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with support from multiple law enforcement agencies including the Office of Correctional Safety (CDCR), United States Marshals Service among others. Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie Stokman and James Conolly along with Department of Justice attorney Jared Engelking are prosecuting this case.
Sentencing for Stinson, Clement, and Johnson is set for May 19, 2025. Johnson and Clement face mandatory life sentences due to their convictions for murder in aid of racketeering while Stinson faces up to life imprisonment based on his RICO conspiracy conviction.
The investigation was conducted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) which aims to identify and dismantle high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a collaborative multi-agency approach.