Aryan Brotherhood Leader Found Guilty Of Murder In Prison Death

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — An Anne Arundel County jury found a 52-year-old inmate housed at the Jessup Correctional Institution guilty of first- and second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, gang participation by causing the death of another and supervising a gang.

A 5-year investigation discovered Joseph Leissler, leader of the Aryan Brotherhood in Maryland, had ordered the August 2016 murder of John O’Sullivan, a 43-year-old inmate at Jessup Correctional Institution. O’Sullivan was found stabbed to death in his cell as he was preparing to head to the showers. Correctional officers entered the tier in response, and using pepper spray, disarmed the suspects and ordered them onto the ground. O’Sullivan died on the scene from his injuries.

An investigation by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit revealed three suspects in the case, all of whom were charged in 2016 and later convicted in 2020. The accused, identified as Brian Hare, Vincent Bunner and Calvin Lochner, were all found to be members of the Aryan Brotherhood.

Investigators learned O'Sullivan was a member of a rival gang called Dead Man, Inc. O’Sullivan was stabbed and cut 54 times with homemade knives in retaliation for an assault on an Aryan Brotherhood member at a different prison in August 2016.

After a mistrial in 2019, a jury found Bunner and Lochner guilty of second-degree murder for stabbing O'Sullivan. During the weeklong trial, former members of the Aryan Brotherhood stated Leissler directed attacks on at least six other individuals on behalf of the gang. They were sentenced to 30 years to be served after the completion of their current sentences. Hare, who was the lookout during the attack, pleaded guilty to murder and has not yet been sentenced.

Leister faces two possible life sentences, including life without parole. He will be sentenced Nov. 2.