HOUSTON – A high-ranking gang leader and member of the Aryan Circle have been sentenced for crimes they committed as part of their roles in the white supremacy prison gang, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
According to court documents, Aryan Circle is a race-based and violent prison gang with hundreds of members operating throughout the country, both inside and outside of prisons. The Aryan Circle enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through threats, intimidation, and acts of violence including, but not limited to, acts involving assault and murder. Members are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members without question.
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William Glenn Chunn, aka Big Head, 40, of Conroe, was sentenced Wednesday to life imprisonment for racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) violations stemming from his leadership in the organization.
Mitchell Farkas, aka Lifter, 52, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced on Wednesday to 30 years in prison for VICAR attempted murder and related charges stemming from his role in a separate violent prison stabbing he committed on behalf of the Aryan Circle.
Big Head case
On Nov. 26, 2021, Chunn was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Texas of racketeering conspiracy for an attempted murder he ordered relating to a violent stabbing. On Oct. 3, he was also convicted by a jury in the Southern District of Mississippi of Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) Attempted Murder and is awaiting sentencing in that case.
Evidence show that Chunn is one of the highest-ranking Aryan Circle leaders in the nation. He used his leadership role to order violent stabbings against rival gang members and other victims, as well as to seek out and retaliate against those he believed were cooperating with law enforcement.
Lifter case
On Aug. 10, Farkas was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Farkas, along with another Aryan Circle member, stabbed an inmate at USP Big Sandy in Martin County, Kentucky, who the Aryan Circle believed had violated gang rules. As a result, the victim permanently lost vision in one eye.
The cases were investigated by multiple agencies across Texas and other states, such as Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Indiana, New Jersey and St. Louis.