Jason Corbett, 52, of Paradise, was sentenced to life in prison for murder in aid of racketeering by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller. This announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
Court documents reveal that between 2011 and 2016, Aryan Brotherhood (AB) members and associates engaged in racketeering activities involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. AB members managed a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from California prison cells using smuggled cellphones to direct drug activities, order murders, and oversee other criminal actions inside and outside prisons.
According to Corbett’s plea agreement, on July 28, 2018, he murdered an inmate at High Desert Prison as part of an AB-related killing. Corbett admitted the murder was because the victim falsely claimed AB membership and had accrued a significant drug debt at his previous prison—both violations of AB’s codes of conduct. He committed the murder willfully and with premeditation to maintain his status within the gang.
On January 3, 2024, Corbett’s co-defendant Pat Brady pleaded guilty to the same murder in aid of racketeering and was sentenced to life in prison on August 5, 2024.
In April 2024, after a nine-week trial, a federal jury found three of Corbett’s co-defendants guilty of RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to murder, murder in aid of racketeering, and multiple counts of drug trafficking. Ronald Yandell and Billy Sylvester are scheduled for sentencing on November 19, 2024. Danny Troxell will be sentenced at a date set by the Court.
During a status conference today, Kathleen Nolan entered a guilty plea for her role in the drug trafficking conspiracy with AB members and associates. She is scheduled for sentencing on December 17, 2024. Charges are pending against Kevin MacNamara; he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case results from an investigation by multiple agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Vallejo Police Department (VPD), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office (EDCDA), and Nevada County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer are prosecuting this case.
This investigation falls under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program which aims to identify and dismantle high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a multi-agency approach led by prosecutors using intelligence-driven strategies.
For more information about OCDETF programs visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
