By james art GILBERT, Ariz. – Kyler Renner was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to three separate counts. One of those cases involved drug charges, while the other was an assault in a parking garage in downtown Gilbert.
Renner, 19, pleaded guilty back in September and was sentenced on October 24 in both cases. Family members addressed the judge, as did Renner, who read a letter.
“Substance abuse caused me to make the bad choices that put me in the position I’m in today,” Renner said. “After cleaning up my life and getting sober, I look back in disbelief that I was the one who committed these crimes.”
Judge Bruce Cohen spent a lot of time talking to the teenager before announcing his sentence.
“Nobody I’ve ever met is a member of the Gilbert Goons,” Judge Cohen said. “So they must be one of those campfire folklore stories that people tell on a camping trip about the Boogeyman. But I know better.’
Judge Cohen said he did believe there was a group of young men and had reason to believe Renner was among them who “were up to no good”.
“But I don’t blame you for being a member of that,” Judge Cohen said. “Because as far as I’m concerned, I know there’s a big debate in the community about whether or not this is a street gang. I don’t care about that because in this case no one has argued that street gang membership was an aggravating factor.”
Judge Cohen also asked why there was no other event that caused Renner to change before his arrest.
“You were a one-man wrecking crew in criminal activity,” Judge Cohen said. “You obviously knew no limits to the ways in which you would break the law. That is why I doubt whether you see the light.”
He eventually sentenced the teenager to two years in prison and three years of probation.
Renner’s brother still faces first-degree murder charges in the Preston Lord case. The teenager’s father also faced drug charges, but court records show the prosecution was suspended for two years and he will complete a diversion program.
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