Aryan Brotherhood associate convicted of 2 murders (DOJ)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - An associate of the prison gang Aryan Brotherhood was convicted today of executing two men in Lomita on orders given by an Aryan Brotherhood member incarcerated in Kern Valley State Prison, in Kern County.

"This case lays bare the ruthless reach of the Aryan Brotherhood and the violence its members and associates are willing to inflict," said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. "Justin Gray executed two men at point-blank range because an incarcerated gang member ordered it. Our office remains committed to dismantling violent prison gangs and protecting our communities from their deadly influence."

"This verdict reflects the serious problem gang violence represents, even from people doing lengthy prison sentences," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "The Department will continue to focus its resources on holding gang members accountable, even if they are already behind bars. Clement, who ordered these executions and has been sentenced to life, and now Gray, who carried them out, will pay a severe price for taking life thanks to the good work of the investigators and prosecutors as well as the careful attention of the jury."

"These murders are a stark reminder that criminal organizations can direct violence from behind prison walls," said Director Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). "ATF and our law enforcement partners are committed to dismantling these networks and holding accountable the individuals responsible for these senseless murders."

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 4, 2020, Justin Gray, 40, of San Pedro, California, executed two men on the orders of Aryan Brotherhood Brother Francis Clement, who was serving a prison sentence in Kern Valley State Prison. Justin Gray lured the victims from San Diego to Lomita where, with the aid of another Aryan Brotherhood associate, he shot both victims in the head. The order to kill had been given over "disrespect" one of the victims had shown to the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray is a member of Baby Blue Wrecking Crew, a white-only gang that takes orders from and works under the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray was convicted of two counts of committing murder in aid of racketeering.

Gray is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 23, 2026. Gray faces a mandatory life sentence.

This trial was part of a larger investigation charging Gray and 20 other defendants with a variety of criminal offenses, including RICO conspiracy, VICAR murder, and narcotics offenses, all related to their criminal activities as members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood. The following individuals charged in the investigation were convicted at trial on Feb. 18, 2025.

John Stinson, 72, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity.

Francis Clement, 60, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and five counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of the two victims and three other individuals he also ordered to be murdered as part of the racketeering activity of the Aryan Brotherhood.

Kenneth Johnson, 65, 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 the two victims.

Additional individuals charged in the case and still pending trial include the following:

• Jayson Weaver, 49, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Waylon Pitchford, 48, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Andrew Collins, 42, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Alexander Van Beusekom, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Evan Perkins, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Office of Correctional Safety (CDCR), United States Marshals Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office, Pomona Police Department, Torrance Police Department, San Diego Police Department, San Diego County Sheriff's Office, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Kern County District Attorney's Office, the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the FBI, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Fresno County District Attorney's Office, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Amanda J. Kotula of the Criminal Division's Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.