Three Aryan Brotherhood Prison Gang Members Convicted of Murder in Aid of Racketeering, RICO Conspiracy, and Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Following a nine-week trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller, three members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang were found guilty of racketeering activity that included murder and drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

A federal jury found California State Prison Sacramento inmate Ronald Yandell, 61, guilty of one count of murder in aid of racketeering for the murder of Hugo Pinell, conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity; five counts of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Kenneth Johnson, James Mickey, Paul Diaz, Michael Trippe, and Doug Maynard; two counts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin; five counts of distribution of heroin; and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.

The jury found California State Prison Sacramento inmate Danny Troxell, 71, guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering for the murder of James Mickey.

The jury found California State Prison inmate Billy Sylvester, 55, guilty of murder in aid of racketeering for the murder of Ronald Richardson, conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and distribution of methamphetamine.

“Today’s convictions further our effort to dismantle a violent criminal enterprise run from inside California prisons,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “The Aryan Brotherhood controlled its members, associates, and others both inside and outside prison walls, ordering multiple murders and running a drug trafficking operation that spanned counties and states. We will continue to use every law enforcement tool to protect the communities plagued by the violence and criminal activities of the Aryan Brotherhood.”

“Prior convictions and lengthy prison sentences didn’t alter the defendants’ disrespect for the law and public safety. They continued to commit brutal murders and other heinous crimes from behind bars, all while coordinating the distribution of drugs into the community for financial gain,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. “These convictions deal a significant blow to the Aryan Brotherhood leadership and underscores our commitment to tackle violent criminal enterprises from the top down.”

“The outcome today reflects the successful coordination among the law enforcement agencies involved in this effort to combat the dangerous influence of prison gangs,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber. “I appreciate the hard work and dedication of each of the agencies and am proud of the expertise CDCR staff provided throughout the investigation.”

On June 6, 2019, a criminal complaint was unsealed that charged 16 members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood (AB), a prison-based gang, following a long-running investigation into drug trafficking and murders inside and outside of California’s prisons.

According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, between 2011 and 2016, AB members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. Yandell and Sylvester oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their shared cell. Using smuggled-in cellphones, Yandell and Sylvester directed murders, drug trafficking in Sacramento and other California cities, and other criminal acts, while controlling the membership of the AB. Troxell was a leader of the AB and had significant authority over the enterprise, including resolving disputes among members and approving the murder of current or former members.

At the outset of this investigation, the following defendants were prison inmates with Yandell, Troxell, and Sylvester, serving life sentences:

• Travis Burhop, 51, pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2022, and is awaiting sentencing.
• Brant Daniel, 49, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison on Dec. 20, 2023.
• Pat Brady, 53, pleaded guilty on Jan. 3, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024.
• Jason Corbett, 52, pleaded guilty on Jan. 17, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on July 15, 2024.

Additional individuals charged in the case include the following:

• Donald Mazza, 53, pleaded guilty on June 15, 2022, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 6, 2024.
• Samuel Keeton, 45, of Menifee, pleaded guilty on Nov. 30, 2020, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024.
• Jeanna Quesenberry, 57, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2023, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024.
• Kristin Demar, 49, of Citrus Heights; pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2022, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 13, 2024.
• Justin Petty, 42, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty and on Oct. 16, 2023, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in prison.
• Charges are pending against Kevin MacNamara, 44, of La Palma, and Kathleen Nolan, 69, of Calimesa. A status conference for these defendants is set for June 24, 2024. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
• Two previously charged defendants are deceased.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer are prosecuting the case.

Yandell, Troxell, and Sylvester are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller at a date to be set in the future. Defendants Yandell and Sylvester face mandatory life sentences based upon their convictions for murder in aid of racketeering. Defendant Troxell faces a maximum sentence of life in prison based upon his RICO conspiracy conviction.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.