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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Texas man has pleaded guilty to violent gang-related activities in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting United States Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei and Nicholas L. McQuaid, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Glynnwood Derrick, 46, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn.

“Gang violence has no place in our community,” said Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.   “The men and women of the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners, will do whatever it takes to safeguard our citizens from the predations of organized criminal gangs.”

According to information presented in court and contained in court filings, Derrick joined the Aryan Circle (AC) while in state prison in Texas in 2000, and received his “patch,” or gang tattoo, in 2004 while serving a sentence in federal prison. Derrick held various ranks within the organization over the years, including the ranks of Captain and Major. Derrick attended “church,” or gang meetings, on numerous occasions at the homes of other AC members.

The AC is a violent, white supremacist organization that operates inside federal prisons across the country and outside prisons in states including Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri.  The AC enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, assault, and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the organization.  Members, and oftentimes associates, are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members without question.

Prior to Oct. 2, 2016, AC members learned that an AC member wanted to switch his gang affiliation, or “patch over,” from the AC to a different gang.  AC members were ordered to attack the former member in order to “X” him, or attack and remove him from the gang, because it violated the AC’s rules to join another organization.  A meeting was held at an AC member’s home in the Tyler, Texas area where AC members planned the logistics of the assault.

On Oct. 2, 2016, Derrick and other AC members met at a park near Tyler, Texas, where they had planned to attack the former member, who was also present. Multiple AC members violently beat the victim, including kicking the victim in the head while he was on the ground.  This attack resulted in the victim seeking medical care for serious injuries.

This case is part of a larger investigation into the Aryan Circle by an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) consisting of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Prisons; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Montgomery County (TX) Precinct One Constable’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; New Jersey Department of Corrections-Special Investigations Division; Indiana State Police; Fort Smith (AR) Police Department; Arkansas Department of Corrections; Arnold (MO) Police Department; Jefferson County (MO) Sheriff’s Department; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; St. Louis County (MO) Police Department; Indiana Department of Corrections; Carrollton (TX) Police Department; Waller (TX) Police Department; Montgomery County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Travis County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Tarrant County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office; Smith County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; McCurtain County (OK) Sheriff’s Office; Montgomery County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Liberty County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Harris County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Mercer County (NJ) District Attorney’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) District Attorney’s Office; and the Sebastian County (AR) District Attorney’s Office. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Rapp of the Eastern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Bethany Lipman of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.