Hours after being handed a sentence of three years probation for his involvement in a "Gilbert Goons" related assault, Jacob Pennington found himself in police custody once again. This recent turn of events unfolded late at night on June 13, with Pennington, 20, arrested on suspicion of underage drinking in Gilbert. Despite having promised to adhere to all laws as part of his probation terms, Pennington was caught as a passenger in a car during a routine stop near the intersection of Lindsay and Elliot roads.
According to the Fox 10 Phoenix report, Gilbert police observed "evidence was observed which indicated Pennington had consumed an alcoholic beverage." Following the investigation, they charged him with minor in consumption of alcohol, a class 2 misdemeanor. The suspect, who was released after his first court appearance the next day, has been thrust back into the legal spotlight as the Maricopa County Attorney's Office (MCAO) filed a petition on June 19 to revoke his probation.
Earlier on the day of his arrest, Pennington's legal counsel had negotiated a guilty plea for an assault dating back to 2022, resulting in that aforementioned probation sentence. Additionally, earlier in the same week, Pennington received another sentence of supervised probation for an assault that took place in November 2020, according to a 12News article. Both of these were factors in the decision of MCAO to pursue revoking his probation.
"We are aware of Pennington's arrest in Gilbert," stated the Pinal County Attorney's Office, acknowledging the layered complexity of the case involving both Maricopa and Pinal counties. "This is a fluid situation that will be sorted out in due time," uttered by officials indicating a cautious approach to the case's overlapping jurisdictions, making clear the defendant's legal troubles were far from over. The conditions of Pennington's probation explicitly required compliance with all criminal laws—a stipulation which his latest arrest calls into question.
Arizona law provides judges with the discretion to modify, add conditions to, or revoke probation if a defendant commits a new offense. With Pennington's most recent misdemeanor charge, it is unclear how the courts will proceed. However, what is certain is the implication of Pennington's repeated brushes with the law—illustrating the cyclical struggles of young men sentenced to probation, yet seemingly ensnared time and again by the trappings that initially led them to the courtroom.
