Aryan Brotherhood Leader Ronnie Yandell Tried to Attack Two Corrections Officers in California Prison

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Based on an AP News Article

Ronald D. Yandell, a leader of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang, allegedly attacked two officers last Friday morning as they were transferring him back to his cell after an appointment at the prison’s health building.

Prison officials say he drew an improvised weapon with razor blades against the officers. He dropped the weapon after an officer used pepper spray and was restrained and removed without further incident, officials said. No staff was injured.

Yandell is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. He arrived at the Sacramento (New Folsom) California prison in 2004. The case will be referred to the county district attorney’s office for possible felony prosecution for attempted homicides, officials said.

Yandell’s lawyer did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. This attempt comes a few months after Yandell was badly injured in what he alleges correctional officers handcuffed and beat him.

In 2019, following a multiyear investigation, Yandell was charged in the killing of several inmates that officials say included a member of a rival gang as well as Aryan Brotherhood associates who did not follow the rules. Federal officials said he was part of the gang’s three-member leadership commission.

A jury in April of this year found him guilty of several counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, as well as several counts related to the distribution of heroin and methamphetamine in conjunction with Mexican Mafia members.

Officials said Yandell and his cellmate oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation and used smuggled-in cellphones to directed murders and drug trafficking in Sacramento and other California cities, while also controlling the membership of the Aryan Brotherhood.

With the recent conviction, normally Yandell would have been moved to a federal prison. However BOP officials made clear they did not want to take in high risk gang leader inmates already serving the same length sentences (life without parole) in the federal system.

The long time ploy to breakup prison gangs by transferring their leaders or convicting them on federal RICO charges has only furthered the expansion and reputation of the gangs.

One of the rival gang members killed at the direction of Yandell was Hugo Pinell, a purported leader of the Black Guerilla Family gang and infamous member of the San Quentin 6, with which he helped to slit the throats of San Quentin prison guards during a failed 1971 escape attempt.

Pinell, who long denied any gang connection, was killed days after being moved out of isolation.

Sources AP News, Borderland Beat