Pat Brady, 53, of Lake Forest, was sentenced to life in prison for murder in aid of racketeering by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller, as announced by U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
Court documents indicate that between 2011 and 2016, Aryan Brotherhood (AB) members and associates engaged in various criminal activities, including murder conspiracies and drug trafficking crimes. AB members managed a substantial heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their California prison cells using smuggled cellphones to direct these activities.
Brady’s plea agreement states that on July 28, 2018, he murdered an inmate at High Desert Prison as part of an AB-related killing. Brady admitted the murder was due to the victim falsely claiming AB membership and accruing a significant drug debt at a previous prison—both violations of AB codes of conduct. The murder was committed willfully and with premeditation to maintain Brady’s status within the gang.
Jason Corbett, 52, Brady’s co-defendant in the murder, pleaded guilty on Jan. 17, 2024. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 25, 2024.
In April 2024, following a nine-week trial, a federal jury found three of Brady’s co-defendants guilty of RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to murder, murder in aid of racketeering, and multiple counts of drug trafficking. Ronald Yandell, 61; Danny Troxell, 71; and Billy Sylvester, 55; are set to be sentenced by Judge Mueller on Sept. 11, 2024.
Charges are pending against Kevin MacNamara, 44; and Kathleen Nolan, 69. A status conference is set for Sept. 23, 2024. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from several agencies including the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation among others. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer are prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which aims to disrupt high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a multi-agency approach.
