20 Charged in Nevada Prison Brawl That Left Three Dead
The last of 20 arrests was made on March 5, 2025, of Nevada state prisoners accused in a brawl that left three fellow prisoners dead at Ely State Prison. The state Department of Corrections (DOC) said at the time that nine prisoners were also transported for medical treatment after what officials called an “altercation” at the high-security lockup on July 30, 2024.
Two rival prison gangs were blamed in media reports at the time. DOC did not confirm or deny that, but it put the prison on lockdown. The dead included Aryan Warriors gang leader Zackaria Luz, 43, and fellow gang member Anthony Williams, 41, as well as a third prisoner, Connor Brown, 22. As PLN reported, he was serving a sentence up to 20 years for robbery handed down in 2021, while Williams was serving a 2019 life-without-parole sentence for murder with an “habitual criminal” enhancement; Luz, who was incarcerated on drug conviction was sentenced with Williams in a 2023 racketeering case, too. [See: PLN, Sep. 2024, p.58.]
Those who were injured included prisoners Kyle Truab, Daniel Andrews, Andre Gobozy, Lee Mitchell and Eric Janisch. The 20 who were arrested are allegedly affiliated with the rival Surenos gang. State Attorney General Aaron Ford (D) said that each is charged with three counts of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon with intent to promote or assist a criminal gang; and five counts of attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon with intent to promote or assist a criminal gang.
Those now in custody for the attacks include Michael Banuelos, 35, who is still at Ely State Prison; Ricardo Saucedo, 36, who is at Lovelock Correctional Center; and a dozen more held at High Desert State Prison: Gerardo Aparicio, 40; Matthew Berg, 25; Edgar Candelario, 30; Oscar Cisneros, 39; Ivan Garcia, 52; Jesus Jaramillo, 42; Christian Medrano, 22; Juan Montalvo, 28; Oscar Montalvo, 35; Luis Padilla, 28; Anthony Ribera, 34; and Reynaldo Suarez, 28. Another of the group, Andrew Emerich, was released in October 2024 and rearrested in January 2025; it was unclear where he was being held, as was also the case with four others: Christian Flores, 45; Juan Franco; Dominique Subia; and Edgar Ullao-Ceja.
Sources: KRXI, Las Vegas Review-Journal
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