ANDY NGO REPORTS: Five more Antifa members in San Diego plead guilty to violent attacks during riot

Prior convicted felon Erich Louis "Nikki" Yach was recently sentenced to nearly five years in prison.

In the five new plea deals, court paperwork reveals that Antifa members Christian Martinez, Bryan Rivera, Joseph Austin Gaskins, Samuel Howard Ogden, and Alexander Akridge-Jacobs all agreed to two years probation, a fourth amendment search waiver that includes electronic devices, and to not associate with any co-defendant. Any actual custody time will be determined by the judge at a sentencing hearing in three months. Until then, all five defendants will remain at liberty on their own recognizance.

Christian Martinez, 24, pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to riot with his Antifa co-defendants, plus felony assault on victim 7, likely to produce great bodily injury. He also admitted to the special allegation that he was armed with a weapon, a full can of Twisted Tea. The prosecutor told the grand jury that he threw this beverage can so hard at the victim that the can actually broke open. Martinez’s maximum possible sentence is four years and eight months in state prison, plus 3 years parole. Martinez was arrested in December 2021 at his family’s home in Los Angeles, and police found Antifa symbols in his bedroom, according to testimony before a grand jury.

Antifa member Christian Martinez, of Los Angeles, with his attorney Kerry Armstrong in court in June 2022. Photo: Eva Knott.

Bryan Rivera, 21, of Long Beach, also pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to riot with his Antifa co-defendants, plus count 9, that he assaulted victim "S.M." The judge granted Rivera’s request for a return of his seized property which included a backpack, two cameras, two computer thumb drives, a credit card, and his birth certificate. Rivera’s attorney claimed his client has no prior convictions and that he was under the age of 26 as "mitigating factors."

Antifa member Bryan Rivera, of Long Beach, Calif., in court in June 2022. Photo: Eva Knott.

Alexander Akridge-Jacobs, 32, of Fallbrook, San Diego, admitted to felony conspiracy to riot with his Antifa co-defendants, plus count 21, assault on an "unidentified victim 4" by means likely to create great bodily injury. He also admitted he used a full drink can as a projectile weapon, and that he was part of the attack with co-defendants Jesse Merel Cannon, Brian Cortez Lightfoot, and Bryan Rivera. (Cannon and Lightfoot continue to plead not guilty, while Rivera admitted an assault on a different victim.) Akridge-Jacobs’ maximum possible sentence is four years and eight months in state prison.

Antifa member Alexander Akridge-Jacobs, of Fallbrook, San Diego. Court photo: Eva Knott.

Samuel Howard Ogden, a 24-year-old trans Antifa militant, pleaded guilty to one count of felony conspiracy to riot with fellow Antifa co-defendants, plus count 19, that Ogden assaulted victim "M.A." Ogden also admitted a special allegation that Ogden was armed with a walking stick as a weapon. Ogden declared that Ogden committed this crime with co-defendants Akridge-Jacobs, Jesse Cannon, Brian Cortez Lightfoot Jr., Luis Francisco Mora, Bryan Rivera, and Faraz Martin Talab. Ogden’s maximum possible sentence is four years and eight months in state prison. Ogden listed that Ogden's home address is in Chula Vista, San Diego.

Antifa member Samuel Howard Ogden, of Chula Vista, San Diego County. Court photos by Eva Knott.

Joseph Austin Gaskins, 22, of Escondido, San Diego County, was the only defendant among the five who did not admit conspiracy to riot. Gaskins pleaded guilty to count 27, that he assaulted "victim 7" with co-defendants Christian Martinez and Faraz Talab by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury. He also admitted that he was armed with a skateboard as a weapon. It was also revealed that during the riot, he was already out on bail for another violent felony crime in San Diego County—allegedly striking a cop in the head. Gaskin faces a maximum possible sentence of 4 years in prison.

Joseph Austin Gaskins, of Escondido, San Diego County. Court photos by Eva Knott.


Screenshot of court evidence showing Antifa member Joseph Austin Gaskins using a skateboard to strike a victim on the ground.

In June, a secret grand jury indicted 11 alleged Antifa members accused of being part of a network of violent cells in southern California that planned and carried out brutal assaults during a riot in Pacific Beach, Calif. on Jan. 9, 2021. Video recorded at the riot showed the mob in black bloc assaulting multiple victims with weapons. Trump supporters, minors, a photojournalist, and a man and his dog walking on the beach were all hurt during the attacks. Multiple weapons and firearms were seized from suspects during executed search warrants. This shocking conspiracy case involving Antifa has largely been ignored by establishment media which furthers the false claim that Antifa "doesn’t exist."

Sentencing for the five who pleaded guilty is scheduled for March 1, 2023, at the central courthouse in downtown San Diego before Honorable judge Daniel Goldstein.

Antifa member Faraz Martin Talab has his trial on March 1, 2023. Photo: Eva Knott.

Antifa member Jesse Merel Cannon and his girlfriend, Leah Madbak, an investigator for the San Diego Public Defender Office.

Antifa member Brian Cortez Lightfoot Jr. Photo: Eva Knott.

Antifa member Jeremy Jonathan White has pleaded not guilty.