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Arizona criminal charge

Participating in or assisting a criminal street gang in Arizona

Current through 2026 Arizona legislative session

Participating in or assisting a criminal street gang is a criminal offense under Arizona law, defined by A.R.S. § 13-2321. Its classification is not fixed: Arizona assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by A.R.S. § 13-2321.

What is the penalty for participating in or assisting a criminal street gang in Arizona?

Penalties for Participating in or assisting a criminal street gang
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prison4 years to 10 years (Participating in a criminal street gang — Applies to a person who commits participating in a criminal street gang as defined under subsection A.; presumptive 5 years; mitigated 3 / aggravated 12.5 years available only on at least two mitigating/aggravating circumstances (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges)presumptiveA.R.S. § 13-702
Fineup to $150,000 (Participating in a criminal street gang — Applies to a person who commits participating in a criminal street gang as defined under subsection A.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); drug and other offenses may set higher statute-specific amounts)discretionaryA.R.S. § 13-702
Jail / prison2.5 years to 7 years (Assisting a criminal street gang — Applies to a person who commits assisting a criminal street gang by committing any felony offense for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal street gang as defined under subsection B.; presumptive 3.5 years; mitigated 2 / aggravated 8.75 years on required findings (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges)presumptiveA.R.S. § 13-702
Fineup to $150,000 (Assisting a criminal street gang — Applies to a person who commits assisting a criminal street gang by committing any felony offense for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal street gang as defined under subsection B.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); statute-specific amounts may exceed)discretionaryA.R.S. § 13-702

Applies to first felony offense, non-dangerous; presumptive term 5 years.

How is participating in or assisting a criminal street gang classified in Arizona?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Participating in or assisting a criminal street gang
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Participating in a criminal street gangClass 2 FelonyApplies to a person who commits participating in a criminal street gang as defined under subsection A.A.R.S. § 13-2321C
Assisting a criminal street gangClass 3 FelonyApplies to a person who commits assisting a criminal street gang by committing any felony offense for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal street gang as defined under subsection B.A.R.S. § 13-2321D

Common questions about participating in or assisting a criminal street gang in Arizona

Is participating in or assisting a criminal street gang a felony or a misdemeanor in Arizona?

It depends on the circumstances: participating in or assisting a criminal street gang ranges from a Class 3 Felony to a Class 2 Felony in Arizona under A.R.S. § 13-2321.

Participating in a criminal street gang: Class 2 Felony (A.R.S. § 13-2321C) · Assisting a criminal street gang: Class 3 Felony (A.R.S. § 13-2321D)

What are the penalties for participating in or assisting a criminal street gang in Arizona?

Penalties for participating in or assisting a criminal street gang in Arizona depend on how it is classified — from a Class 3 Felony up to a Class 2 Felony — with the ranges set by A.R.S. § 13-702; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Arizona statute covers participating in or assisting a criminal street gang?

Participating in or assisting a criminal street gang is governed by A.R.S. § 13-2321 (Participating in or assisting a criminal street gang; classification).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.