• Guilty plea: Brent Egleston pleaded guilty to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity on Dec. 23, according to U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio.
Who else is involved?
• Motorcycle gang: Egleston is one of 14 people indicted in connection to various multiple crimes in Dayton, Harrison Twp., Springfield, Huber Heights and Kentucky.
In addition to Egleston, Juan Robles, Joey Marshall, Jared Peters, Brandon Fisher, John A. Smith, Norman Beach, Michael Henry, Daniel Hutten, Michael Reese, Matthew Hawkins, Joseph Rader, Justin Baker and Cody Hughes were charged.
What are they accused of?
• Violent crimes: The group is accused of multiple violent acts, including murder, shootouts, assaults and arson.
The Thug Riders were involved in the following crimes, according to the indictment:
• The explosion of a former member’s pick-up truck in Huber Heights on May 25, 2021.
• The fatal shooting of 43-year-old Joseph Nicholson in Harrison Twp. on Sept. 26, 2021. Hawkins, Fisher and Smith, along with other unnamed Thug Riders, fired more than 40 shots at the Chevrolet Tahoe Nicholson was sitting inside, according to court records.
• A gunfight on April 9, 2023, at a rival motorcycle group’s clubhouse in Lexington, Kentucky. The Thug Riders reportedly fired 192 rounds during the attack, but no one was injured.
• A fight at a Dayton bar on June 17, 2023. The gang allegedly broke a man’s leg and gave him a black eye.
• A gunfight at another motorcycle club’s clubhouse in Springfield on March 20, 2024. Fisher was reportedly shot twice in the head.
• The assault of two members of a rival motorcycle club in London, Ohio, on March 16, 2024.
• Springfield gunfight: Egleston was reportedly among gang members who went to the Kings Motorcycle Club’s Springfield clubhouse on March 20, 2024.
The group was armed and dressed in black clothing and masks, according to court documents.
Marshall and Fisher allegedly tried to force entry into the clubhouse, resulting in both groups exchanging gunfire.
Where do the other cases stand?
• Guilty pleas: At least 10 Thug Riders have pleaded guilty — Egleston, Robles, Reese, Peters, Baker, Hughes, Henry, Rader, Hutten and Hawkins.
Fisher had a change of plea hearing scheduled in October, but the details of the hearing haven’t been released.
The cases for Marshall, Smith and Beach are pending as of Tuesday.
• Sentencings: Four Thug Riders have been sentenced.
Hawkins was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of probation; Henry was sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of probation; Hutten was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a year of probation; and Rader was sentenced to 15 months in prison and a year of probation, according to court records.
What happens next?
• Sentencing: Egleston’s sentencing has not been scheduled as of Tuesday.
He was referred to the probation department for a pre-sentence investigation and report, according to court documents.
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