Five Plead Guilty in Viral Cincinnati Street Beatdown

Five people pleaded guilty Monday to charges stemming from a brutal street fight in downtown Cincinnati that went viral last year.

Four of the individuals admitted to felony charges, while a fifth pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. The fight broke out around 3 a.m. on July 26, 2025, at the corner of Fourth and Elm streets.

Defense attorneys said one of the victims directed a racial slur at a member of the group, sparking the violence. Video footage showed a woman thrown to the ground and knocked unconscious, racking up millions of views on social media. A man was knocked down and struck more than two dozen times in the head.

Those pleading guilty to felonies included Jermaine Mathews, 39; Montianez Merriweather, 35; Gregory Wright, 33; and Aisha Devaughn, 26. Mathews faces up to 4.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated rioting and attempted felonious assault. Surveillance video captured him punching a man in the head, then throwing the victim down and kicking him after the man slapped Mathews.

Merriweather and Devaughn each pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and aggravated rioting, facing up to three years behind bars. Wright admitted to felony theft and misdemeanor rioting after ripping a chain from a victim's neck; the theft charge carries up to 18 months.

Dekyra Vernon, 25, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct.

Charges remain pending against Patrick Rosemond, 39, and Dominique Kittle, 38. In March, an Ohio judge dismissed a disorderly conduct charge against a white man authorities had identified as one of the victims.

The incident drew claims of racial motivation. Vice President JD Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy spoke out against the video after it spread online.

Sentencing dates are set for May 19 and June 11. Fox News Digital sought comment from the defendants' attorneys and the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.