Gilbert Teen Sentenced for In-N-Out Assault, Victim's Family Seeks Healing as Legal Process Continues

As the East Valley community continues to grapple with the aftermath of teen violence, a measure of closure comes as Deleon Haynes, 19, received his sentence for participating in a brutal attack on a 16-year-old at a Gilbert In-N-Out Burger last summer. Fox 10 Phoenix reported that the Gilbert teenager was given three years of supervised probation and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, with the directive to also undergo substance abuse treatment. "For me, it's like a slap on the wrist, but I understand the system and how it works. I was okay with that," Rick Kuehner, the victim's father, conveyed to Fox 10 Phoenix.

Throughout the judicial process, Haynes has pleaded guilty to his involvement in the violent episode which occurred on August 18th. Near to a year since the attack, Kuehner shared with Fox 10 Phoenix that his son is starting to recover, thankful that a prolonged trial was avoided to prevent further trauma. In his statement to the court, Haynes expressed, "Although I am embarrassed by my actions, I take full responsibility for them. I am truly very sorry for my involvement. I am forced to think about it daily and all I feel is regret and remorse." Kuehner acknowledged that typically, first-time offenders with no prior criminal record do not face more than six months in jail.

Meanwhile, AZFamily reported that besides Haynes, four other suspects were charged in relation to the assault. Christopher Fantastic, 19, reached a plea agreement last month, with his sentencing scheduled for July. Another suspect, Aris Arredondo, 18, has yet to accept a plea deal. Two minors involved in the attack remain unnamed. Further, the Gilbert Police Department's investigation led to the arrest of two additional individuals, bringing the total number of arrests to six. Details regarding the specific roles of Haynes and the unnamed 17-year-old in the incident have not been released by the police.

The attack, which has been linked with a series of teenager-targeted violence in East Valley, was captured on video showing the aggressive altercation involving multiple assailants. In a statement obtained by AZFamily, Christopher Fantastic's mother and stepfather adamantly denied their son being a part of the so-called "Gilbert Goons," a label that has surfaced amidst rising concerns of teen violence in the community.

With some suspects still awaiting sentencing, Kuehner expressed a desire to put the legal proceedings behind him saying, "My son’s forgiven them and he's moved on. Now we just let justice take its place."