(Image Credit: IMAGN) The Kentucky Sentate gavel rests on the wooden sound block in the Kentucky Senate chambers before the first day of Concurrence began at the state Capitol in Frankfort, Ky. March 13, 2025.
Fresno, California – Three high-ranking members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang were sentenced Monday in a sweeping federal racketeering case that uncovered a violent network operating from inside California’s prison system.
Francis Clement, 58, received a life sentence after a jury found him guilty in February on charges of racketeering conspiracy and five counts of murder in aid of racketeering. Prosecutors said Clement helped lead a campaign of violence between 2016 and 2023, ordering killings and overseeing drug trafficking operations while serving time in state prison. The murders, which occurred behind bars, included the deaths of Allan Roshanski, Ruslan Magomedgadzhiev, Michael Brizendine, James Yagle, and Ronnie Ennis.
Kenneth Johnson, 63, was also sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of racketeering conspiracy and two murder charges. Prosecutors said Johnson worked closely with Clement, and that the two men together ordered the killings of Roshanski and Magomedgadzhiev in October 2020. They were also implicated in the approval of a separate killing that same year.
John Stinson, 70, who was already serving time in the California prison system, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. At trial, prosecutors described Stinson as a senior figure in the gang with authority to resolve disputes, sponsor new members, and approve acts of violence. He reportedly used smuggled cellphones to manage gang operations and was tied to drug trafficking inside and outside the prison system.
The sentences follow a lengthy investigation into the Aryan Brotherhood’s criminal activity, which included methamphetamine trafficking, robbery, and fraud, in addition to the murders. Prosecutors say gang members used contraband cellphones to run operations from within prison, with orders carried out by members on the outside and in other facilities.
In court, officials argued the gang maintained control through violence and intimidation, often targeting members or associates who violated internal rules or failed to repay debts. The victims in this case were killed for reasons ranging from disobedience to financial disputes.
Federal authorities emphasized that the Aryan Brotherhood’s influence has extended well beyond prison walls and that dismantling such organizations remains a law enforcement priority.
Five additional defendants are awaiting trial in connection with the case, which was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in partnership with multiple state and local agencies.
The case is part of a broader federal push to address organized criminal networks operating within U.S. prisons.
