Sheriff’s officers described an assault in Lone Pine last month as “vicious”. Officials said that for no apparent reason, five young men beat 29-year-old Ryan Armstrong, who suffered a broken jaw, fractured vertebrae, six fractured ribs, a fractured eye socket and several contusions. Now five of the six defendants have entered pleas of guilty to felony assault likely to cause great bodily injury.inyo_courthouse

Inyo District Attorney Art Maillet said that the five also pled to an enhancement which means mandatory service of 85% of their court sentence, which could go as high as 6 years in state prison.

Maillet also said that the crime pled to is considered a violent and serious felony which warrants a strike, under the three strikes law. DA Maillet said his office will seek prison time for the five young men.

The five defendants are 20-year-old David Allen Smith of Lone Pine, 19-year-old Tyler Allen Mccullah of Bishop, 18-year-old Anthony James Jorgenson of Bishop, 18 year old Cameron Andrew Grayson of Bishop and 23-year-old Jose Garcia of Lone Pine.

19-year-old Wayne Russell Croasdale of Bishop recently surrendered to police in this case. He was booked at the Inyo County Jail for battery with serious bodily injury and assault with a deadly weapon. His case is still pending.

The five defendants will appear for formal Sentencing in early December.

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