Three top Aryan Brotherhood prison gang members were sentenced for their roles in a major racketeering operation run from inside California prisons.
The group’s activities — including murders, drug trafficking, and fraud — highlight the ongoing threat of organized crime within correctional systems, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
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On May 19, a federal judge sentenced three gang members.
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Francis Clement, 58, and Kenneth Johnson, 63, received life sentences for racketeering conspiracy and multiple murders tied to the gang.
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John Stinson, 70, received a 20-year sentence for RICO conspiracy.
The crimes ranged from murder and fraud to robbery and drug trafficking — all organized through smuggled cellphones. Between 2016 and 2023, Aryan Brotherhood members and associates committed multiple crimes, including:
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October 2020: Johnson and Clement ordered the killing of Allan Roshanski, which also led to the death of Ruslan Magomedgadzhiev. They also ordered Brandon Lowery’s murder.
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February 2022: Clement ordered the murder of Michael Brizendine.
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March 2022: Clement ordered hits on Ronald Ennis and James Yagle.
Court records and trial evidence showed that Johnson and Clement held key leadership roles in the gang and directed operations inside and outside prison walls using contraband phones.
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Clement took a cut from illegal drug sales and fraud operations due to his status.
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Testimony revealed regular methamphetamine smuggling into prisons for sale among inmates.
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Murders were often retaliation against those who broke gang rules or owed money.
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Stinson, another senior member, used a smuggled phone to manage gang activities, approve murders, and engage in drug trafficking for personal profit.
“The convicted defendants led a notorious prison gang that committed ruthless murders, widespread methamphetamine trafficking, and perpetuated a culture of mayhem, fear, and disorder within the prison system that bled into the outside world,”
— Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division
He emphasized how contraband phones allowed criminal networks to extend their reach far beyond prison walls.
“Today’s sentences are yet another blow to the leadership of a violent criminal enterprise run from inside California prisons,”
— Michele Beckwith, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
Beckwith stressed the need to stop violent inmates from continuing to run criminal activities from behind bars.
“These sentences send a clear message: the walls of a prison do not shield violent gang leaders from justice,”
— Daniel Driscoll, Acting Director of the ATF
Driscoll reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to dismantling gangs and holding their leaders accountable, no matter where they operate.
