Two young men recently pleaded guilty in connection to gang crimes. Jonathan Mata, 18, of Prescott, and Enrique Castillo-Barrios, 17, of Prescott Valley, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. Mata also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a street gang crime and tampering with physical evidence. Castillo-Barrios pleaded guilty to wanton endangerment, unlawful discharge of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a minor. Prescott Police investigators identified Mata as the leader of a gang called “RMS” that was seeking to establish a base in Prescott. June 30^NumberOn April 23, 2023, Mata encountered an elderly homeless man sleeping near Granite Creek and severely beat him, leaving him with multiple skull fractures and hearing loss. Mata recorded the beating and posted it online.^rdIn 2023, Castillo-Barrios, a suspected gang member, brought a firearm to a carnival at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds. During an altercation with a classmate, he pulled a gun from his waistband and fired multiple times into the ground at the classmate. Castillo-Barrios fled and continued firing multiple times at the classmate, shooting himself in the process. Mata is scheduled to be sentenced May 13.^Number He faces 10 years in prison. Castillo Barrios is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15.^Number The offence carries a prison sentence of 5 to 38 years.