A Fresno man who is a member of the Aryan Brotherhood is heading to prison for multiple convictions.
U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced that Danny Troxell, 72, was sentenced to life in prison for participating in a RICO conspiracy and a conspiracy to commit murder.
Driving the news: From 2011 to 2019, Aryan Brotherhood members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder and drug trafficking crimes.
- Members oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their California prison cells. They used smuggled cell phones to direct drug trafficking activities, order murders and oversee other criminal activities.
The big picture: Evidence presented at trial showed that Troxell was elevated to a position of leadership in the Aryan Brotherhood’s three-man commission in the early 2000s when nearly all of the prominent members were housed in Pelican Bay State Prison.
- The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted wiretaps in 2016 that captured Troxell discussing gang business with another member. The Department of Justice said Troxell viewed the gang as “blood in, blood out,” meaning prospective members had to kill to enter the gang and could only leave if they were killed.
- The wiretaps also caught Troxell ordering the murder of another member housed in Calipatria state prison.
- A jury found Troxell guilty of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to commit murder based on the intercepted calls, as well as testimony from other gang members.
Flashback: Five other Aryan Brotherhood defendants in the case have already been sentenced to life in prison: Ronald Yandell, William Sylvester, Pat Brady, Jason Corbett and Brant Daniel.
