YAVAPAI COUNTY, Ariz. — A young man suspected of trying to establish a street gang in Prescott has recently pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and evidence tampering.
The Yavapai County Attorney's Office said 18-year-old Johnathan Mata of Prescott will soon be sentenced in court after he severely beat an elderly homeless man he came across near Granite Creek last June. Mata reportedly recorded the "vicious attack" and posted the video online.
The evidence tampering charge is in relation to Mata washing the victim's blood from his bandana, officials said.
YCAO said Mata was allegedly the leader of a gang called "RMS" he was attempting to establish in the Prescott area.
County Attorney Dennis McGrane said he created a special unit in 2023 to focus on gang-related crimes.
"I want this unit, and the lengthy sentences that my gang prosecutors seek, to send a clear message to gangs and anyone who might consider joining a gang: You are not welcome in Yavapai County. If you commit gang crimes here, you will go to prison for a very long time," McGrane said in a statement.
Another suspected gang member, a 17-year-old from Prescott Valley, has also recently pleaded to crimes involving a gun that was fired at the Prescott Rodeo grounds. Mata faces up to 10 years in prison.
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