Randall County court records show three men face first-degree murder charges in the Oct. 22 shooting death of 48-year-old Bradley Thompson near 40th and Polk. Skylar Mensen, Jesse James Franklin and Dennis Charles Carlson are accused of the shooting, according to the records.
Franklin also faces two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity. Carlson faces engaging in criminal activity and two counts of directing activities of a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization. Records identify Franklin as a member of the Aryan Brotherhood and describe Carlson as holding a leadership role in the group. Carlson is accused of directing other members to commit aggravated assault and retaliation.
Assistant District Attorney Lacy Miller said she believes this is the first time Randall County has tried someone on directing organized criminal activity. She said organized criminal activity charges raise the underlying offenses by one felony degree. Miller said all three men face up to life in prison on the murder charge, and Carlson faces a minimum of 25 years for organized criminal activity.
Miller said she could not confirm whether the murder charge is connected to the gang because the investigation is ongoing. For now, she said, it is a separate charge.