A white supremacist gang leader in Texas was sentenced to 87 months in prison for his role in directing gang members to assault and inflict serious bodily injury on a victim, according to the Justice Department.
Michael Martin, 38, pleaded guilty to committing assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering on March 4, 2021. He was sentenced to over seven years in prison followed by an additional three years of supervised release. Martin also went by the street names “Aryan Prodigy” and “AP.”
Martin served as an upper board member of Aryan Circle, a violent, race-based gang with members in prisons and on the streets throughout Texas and the rest of the United States, according to case documents.
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“The defendant’s violent actions demonstrate his commitment to a hateful and dangerous ideology,” acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei told CBS DFW. “Today’s sentence shows that no gang is above the law.”
As one of the five highest-ranking Aryan Circle members in the country, Martin directed gang members to carry out various actions, including disciplining fellow members who violated its rules. During his management of the gang, Martin discovered a defector intending to “patch over” to a rival gang and ordered members to beat the victim, resulting in long-term injury and necessitating extensive medical care.
The Aryan Circle has four distinct segments: a Texas prison population, a federal prison population, an out-of-state prison population, and its “street” or “free world” population.
In total, the gang has over 1,400 members, making it one of the largest white supremacist groups in the U.S., according to the Anti-Defamation League.
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The Justice Department did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
