An 18-year-old accused of using brass knuckles in multiple violent attacks on teenagers was sentenced to years in Department of Enforcement custody Friday morning.

Tyler Freeman pleaded guilty to two violent assaults, one stemming from an attack at a party and the other at Gilbert In-N-Out. In court, Judge Bruce Cohen heard from prosecutors, Freeman’s family and Freeman himself. Judge Cohen also watched videos of those assaults and heard shocking jailhouse phone calls that prosecutors say Freeman made while in custody.

NOVEMBER 2022 ASSAULT

Freeman was arrested earlier this year for multiple attacks dating back to 2022.

The first in November of that year at a house party outside 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 a little out of control, so I told people to leave,” Jorgensen said. “I walked up to a group of kids and told them they had to leave.”

But he said the situation escalated quickly.

“That’s when they attacked me,” Jorgensen said. “From there it all became one, two guys were hitting me and eight guys were hitting me in a circle. I just remember one guy throwing brass knuckles at me (and) another guy hit me on the top of the head.”

Dale told ABC15 that he felt called to perform after Preston Lord’s death. 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 a teenage one related to violence. At last check, his performance in this round was still under review. ABC15 reached out to the Maricopa County Prosecutor’s Office for an update.

Hines and Meisner have been charged with murder in the death of Preston Lord.

RELATED: ABC15 speaks with Queen Creek police chief one year after Preston Lord’s death

DECEMBER 2022 ASSAULT

Both Hines and Freeman were also arrested in a separate assault that occurred in December 2022 at 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 in the prosecution out of fear.

JUDGMENT NOVEMBER 2024

In court, prosecutors called Freeman the “instigator” and leader of these attacks. They told the judge he used brass knuckles and showed him videos of the violent attacks.

They also showed Snapchat messages from the defendant to other people, including suspects of teenage violence. Those messages included threats directed at police and Freeman specifically telling people that his group made the streets of Gilbert “unsafe.”

Prosecutors told the judge that in their opinion Freeman had not changed and played a series of phone calls made while the teenager was in custody. In those calls, Freeman was heard threatening people with violence once he was released, insulting Preston Lord and joking about using violence while in custody.

Freeman’s mother addressed the judge and told him that her son is a good person whose life was turned upside down two years ago.

“He wants a fresh start,” Dawn Freeman said. “What was played was horrible, but he has assumed responsibility.”

Freeman’s attorney said his client had been on a better path before being arrested for these assaults. The teenager also spoke out and apologized for his actions and said that the calls did not demonstrate the regret he had.

Judge Cohen asked Freeman a series of questions about the calls and his intentions. He also asked Freeman if he was part of the Gilbert Goons.

Freeman originally said no and later described it as a “group of friends.”

The group was at the center of a multi-agency investigation led by Gilbert police. In May, the department said they were being classified as criminal hybrid street gang. However, Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg announced there was insufficient evidence for gang charges.

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

Judge Cohen spent time speaking directly with Freeman when handing down the teen’s sentence.

“He had no regard for those he hurt,” Judge Cohen said.

He ultimately sentenced Freeman to two and a half years and three years for the two cases, but those sentences will run concurrently. The judge also said Freeman would also receive 268 days of credit.

Freeman’s attorney, Gregory Zamora, said afterward that judicial rehabilitation for his client had already begun. He insisted that the teenager wants to have a family and serve his community in the future.

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

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

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