To do things for the others to follow. Like many gang members, Ivey had never had a real job or even a drivers license, but a friend referred him to a plumbing and remodeling company. These indictments are an example of our ongoing commitment to dismantling violent gangs.". They had deadly turf wars with rival gangs starting in the 1970s, and the. Old school Royals and Royal wall, P/C st, 1985. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Lisa Ling goes inside a prison where the predominant gang population comes from Mississippi's Simon City Royals organization. Intelligence reports from area police show more Simon City Royals have been found in South Mississippi than anywhere else in the state. I had their backs, they had mine, no matter what.. Daggans said one of thethings talked about in the documentary is that the Vice Lords are the enemy of theSimon City Royals and Gangster Disciples. Daggans, who now runs the nonprofit Blackfist Outreach Ministryin Pensacola, Florida, said while the Simon City Royals may rule in Hancock County, the gang represents an affiliation of and partnershipwith the Gangster Disciples. Investigation has shown that the Simon City Royals is active within correctional facilities in the State of Mississippi, and the organization is primarily overseen by members of the organization who are incarcerated within the correctional facilities. The Aryan Brotherhood is the only white supremacist group in Mississippi prison and being a major prison gang in the state. I just went and smashed the dude. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Mississippi, Alleged Members of the Simon City Royals Indicted on Federal Racketeering Chargers, Benoit, Mississippi Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Robbing a U.S. He proudly calls himself a redneck. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Oxford, Mississippi A Tupelo man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday following his conviction for bank robbery. He couldnt name any businesses because of ongoing investigations. What were you all trying to accomplish in the CDC? Spooked, Ivey left town for a few weeks, but a mob of Royals beat up Smash and Street while he was gone and were arrested on $1m bonds. Most Read. I think a lot comes down to profit, Moran said. Thats when a federal probe with assistance from local police uncovered a gun-trafficking operation run by Royals. He has asked that his real name not be mentioned and we will respect that request. Lisa Ling goes inside a prison where the predominant gang population comes from Mississippi's Simon. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. But when I went to Lee County I met one of my best friends, Donny Shultz, who is an old school Dirty and one of the best dudes I ever met. Federal drug agents have accused him and others of trafficking meth shipped here from California. But despite the growth in white gangs, Mississippi public defender Andr de Gruy says from 2010 to 2017, all 97 people prosecuted under current state gang law were African American. In 2004, Ivey was locked up for four years for manufacturing crystal meth. There, the gang is highly structured and promotes terror among potential victims. She helped Ivey administer the Royals fund; he required each of the 150 members to contribute $12 a month. After Jimmys death, Ivey bottomed out. "The concept of our organization now is not adversity," Daggans said. When he was released and awarded $25 million, Thaddeus Jiminez spent much of the money on fancy cars, guns, and drug-fueled parties for his fellow gang members. They had the opportunity to show what we stand for.". All gangs pose a threat to the good order of the public, Lessner said. A Benoit, Mississippi man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for robbing a U.S. They never tried to get me to rehab, they always sent me to prison, he says. Surveys of young Americans have shown that 40% identifying as gang members are white, but police tend to undercount them at 10% to 14% and overcount black and Hispanic members, says Babe Howell, a criminal law professor at City University of New York who focuses on crime and race. Still, he didnt see much bigotry among his members. In 2008, he returned to a trailer park where a mother of two called Spirit lived and assisted with operations. Then 32, Ivey was sent to the private Delta correctional facility because of gang activity. They pretty much do what they want to make money or what they can get away with until they get caught.. He backs up Iveys point about this lack of attention, writing that media may be more prone to cover black and Hispanic gangs because of consumer demands for stories of sensationalized racial gang violence. Investigators said validating gang members can help solve and prosecute crimes. Born in 1950s as a group of greasers, a typical white youth subculture, they owe their name to Simons Park, their original stronghold and base of operation. 2023 Cable News Network. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. The Simon City Royals gang rules in this prison This is Life with Lisa Ling Link Copied! Following his defeat, the two gangs were merged into a single one, now known as the Simon City Royals. Chancey Bilbo aka Zig Zag and Jason Hayden aka Slim are both from Picayune, and Dillon Heffker aka Hardhead is from Harrison County. By 2012, investigators had identified 371 gang members in Biloxi. JACKSON, Mississippi -- A man described as the leader of a Mississippi chapter of the Simon City Royals street gang has asked a federal judge to appoint him a different lawyer in a racketeering conspiracy case. He also doesnt believe white privilege is a thing. The indictment was returned by a grand jury on April 23, 2019, and unsealed today in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Mississippi. He was eventually killed briefly after his release; having been an accessory to the stabbing of a woman in a bar. Police see groups of young white people as individuals, each responsible for his or her own conduct, and hold young people of color in street gangs criminally liable for the conduct of their peers, she says. Born in 1950s as a group of greasers, a typical white youth subculture, they owe their name to Simons Park, their original stronghold and base of operation. Strength shifted to prisons, and the brand spread to midwestern and southern states like Mississippi, where the Royals are now one of the largest and most violent gangs in the state. Once you get in the (computer) system as a gang member, youre labeled.. "You're wasting your time talking to the followers. He started regrouting floors at KFC and clearing sewer drains for $10 an hour, moving to $15 in five months. By the time he returned home in 2003, he had claimed the title of Central Mississippi regional captain. It chronicled how he was charged with murder at 13, spent 16 years in prison but was freed in 2009 after a witness admitted he lied when he told the police Jimenez was the killer. Ivey broke down crying to Adams, who told the cops: Yes, I want him in my rehab. There, Ivey worked out, prayed and wrote his story with pen and paper for eight months. Kristina Arnold, now Ivey, was visiting someone else at rehab when she met him. Ivey attends a church by the interstate with a few black members. Royals seem to start gangs in neighborhoods or among circles of friends, and have a little more structure than other gangs, Biloxi police Lt. Ron Lessner said. This means white gangs are not typically policed as stringently, he writes, and their members can miss interventions sometimes offered to more publicized gangs of color. Biloxi gang investigators have documented nearly 54 percent more gang members in recent years. Main Office: On the outside, Ivey started organizing the Royals. I fell in 2000 and was sent to USP Lompoc in California. At 21, Ivey was living with other drug users who helped run dope out of a small rental house. Criminal Division 662-234-0657 But although this can and will happen, it is a rare occurrence rather than a routine happening. The case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and investigators with the Mississippi Department of Corrections. It was all a blessing in disguise, he says now. 2023 www.hattiesburgamerican.com. . What experiences have you had in other state systems as a DWB? I did 10 years of a 10 year sentence, day for day. Schouest pronounced sh-west said she learned Tanner was a high-ranking member of the Simon City Royals street gang after their relationship began. Now, the Royals have members of both genders and all races. The ministry works to prevent young people from getting involved in gangs by giving them alternatives. Nine of the defendants Shaw, Posey, Brumfield, Jones, Pierson, Deakles, Davis, Frances, Heffker and Murphy are additionally charged with murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, or assault in aid of racketeering. The gang has been involved in murder for hire, gambling and drug trafficking, the court document said. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. They spread like an infectious disease and have come to epitomize unorganized crime- they have no governing body, no outside influence, and no leaders. Iveys future was not in a black organization, however it was in one of the oldest and largest white gangs in the US, the Simon City Royals. Daggans said he also works with city and law enforcement officials to learn more about gang activity from someone in the know. The gang has a formalized hierarchy involving numerous boards and teams, including a team dedicated to carrying out violent gang punishments, and a money team responsible for earning revenue through fraud, illegal gambling, and identity theft. A 2016 study in Jackson, which focused on urban black gangs, showed that not finishing school and being put into a police car are top precursors for a young person committing worse crime as an adult. Originally consisted of white European descendants and immigrants, mostly Italians, Irish, Greeks, English, Scottish, Dutch, Germans and migrated Southerners ( have since also spread to Mississippi ). It was 1989, the height of the crack era, and many white kids wanted to join black gangs that did not welcome them, so they initiated each other into home-grown copycat versions. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; As it has the past two years, this complements my annual Top 100 list of prospects. "The concept is not controversy. What is the Current State of the Simon City Royals? Simon City Royal members claim that prison guards want to identify with gang members and therefore are easy to bribe for access to cell phones, drugs, and other contraband. The Simon City Royals have been around since the 1950's, have steadily been growing in size through the years & are currently Mississippi's fastest-growing gang. Fifty-five percent of those found in Biloxi are Royals. I didnt want to hurt Imani, he says later. "They are strong. The Royals' roots date to Chicago's North Side in 1952, when two violent white "greaser" gangs - the Ashland Royals and Simon City - guarded Simon Park turf as Puerto Ricans moved in.. The gang protects its power and operation through threats, intimidation and violence, including murder, attempted murder, identity fraud and obstruction of justice. Moran leads the Biloxi Police Departments gang investigations team, the regions only extensive gang-tracking effort by police. Named for a park on Chicago's North Side, the Simon City gang merged with the Royals gang in the 1960s. The indictment says the Simon City Royals gang was formed in Chicago and spread throughout the city in the 1960s and 1970s before branching out to other parts of the county, including Mississippi. Doing lots of time in the hole. The Royals were one of the biggest and most violent street gangs in Chicago by the 1970s, when they joined the Folk Nation alliance with the Black Gangster Disciples, began admitting Hispanics and, later, women and black members. A DWB is one who lives his life standing on his morals and unfortunately mans law may have taken me to prison, but being a DWB I am free and live my life to the fullest no matter where life may take me. All rights reserved. A lot of white kids, 15, 16 years old, look at white gangsters as rock stars.. (WTVA) - Federal officers arrested 21 members of the Simon City Royals indicted on a slew of charges including murder, kidnapping, fraud and drug trafficking. The Tupelo Police Department, Marshall County Sheriff's Department, Benton County Sheriff's Department and Tippah County Sheriff's Department provided valuable assistance. I dont just take their word for it, Lessner said. The 1970s and The Gangs Decline Old school Royals and Royal wall, P/C st, 1985. But we recognize that it is an integral part of prison culture. Simon City Royals Spanish Gangster Disciples Two Sixers International Posse ; Once again, note that these sets often use their names or letter initials along with Folk Nation symbols to identify themselves. Royals are known for the color royal blue with white and black. This indictment demonstrates that the Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting people victimized by these gangs and holding the alleged offenders accountable., This case is an example of ATFs dedication and commitment to combating violent crime in our communities,saidSpecial Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) New Orleans Field Division. Polite Jr. of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. She also worked as a paralegal until she was arrested. He soon pleaded guilty to an aggravated assault charge for pumpkin-heading a man at a party, breaking his jaw. But I love my brothers and am proud to wear this patch. According to the indictment, from 2014 to 2015, Hayden and Bilbo were involved in the shipment of more than 50 grams of highly pure meth through USPS. In addition, they frequently draw symbols that are disrespectful to People Nation sets such as upside-down crowns and upside-down number 5s. As the Dirty White Boys spread through the federal system more and more members joined. Photograph: Imani Khayyam for The Guardian, Dangerous, growing, yet unnoticed: the rise of America's white gangs. But Ivey says he has spent too much time around black people with similar struggles to think hes superior to them. Three of them had street names: Big Boi, Lil One, and Sir Flute. hen Ivey met True Love in jail in 1998, he found a brotherhood that understood rednecks like him. Mississippi has recently named the majority-white Royals and the Bandidos a biker club started by a white marine later convicted of murder among its largest criminal street gangs in annual assessments over the last decade. . I think God put us in each others paths for a reason, Kristina says now. What problems did you experience in the CDC as a DWB? Police say the gang traffics guns and narcotics, with some members participating in gruesome violence against snitches. The entire process would take several years and was only terminated at the end of the decade, when all members had either joined the new gang or quit completely. It depends on your definition of major force. In the middle is one of the symbols of the Simon City Royals - a cross with three slashes above. Iveys brother Danny, who is now in rehab, had turned Aryan Brotherhood in prison, tattooing a swastika on to his chest. But he passed on talking to kids at a Jackson YMCA about avoiding the gang life. The men allegedly punched, kicked, burned and attempted to cut off his Simon Royals tattoo with a knife as he was tied to a chair. "We have to show quality of transformation. In February 2012, Ivey rented a house for him, Kristina and her six-year-old, who is now 12. The indictment lists the defendants as Allen Posey, Jonathan Davis, Jeremy Holcombe, Jonathan Burnett, Hank Chapman, Jason Hayden, Joshua Miller, Gavin Pierson, Justin Shaw, Bobby Brumfield, Jordan Deakles, Bryce Frances, Anthony Murphy, Chancey Bilbo, Dillon Heffker, Douglas Jones, Cody Woodall, Michael Muscolino, Valerie Madden, Samuel Conwell and Jason Collins. Have a question about Government Services? He completed the program and has been clean for two years, he said. Ivey avoided conflicts with the Aryan Brotherhood who considered the Royals traitors to the white race but he also had to stand up to his own black allies. The higher-ranking Royals get the majority of the proceeds the younger Royals bring in. (WLOX) - A federal indictment was unsealed today charging 21 alleged members and associates of the Simon City Royals gang, three of those members were from South Mississippi.. Most of my brothers Ive associated with inside were still faithful to their county cars and we supported any major actions made by the peckerwoods, outside of stupid dope debts, miss me with that bullshit. However, membership has attracted suburban and rural criminals in states like Mississippi. They now refer to themselves as Chapter 13 and the Mississippi Combat Legion. The Royals have an organized structure with ranks, titles, rules and punishments for members who break the gangs rules. OXFORD, Miss. As Ivey walked toward the kitchen, Jimmy told him: Man, Im gonna go lay down on your bed.. He said that is anything but true. An official website of the United States government. If anything happens to them boys, we coming for you, a local lieutenant warned. The Indictment charged several individuals for their involvement in a prison stabbing that occurred at the EMCF prison facility located in Meridian, Mississippi, including: WILTON JOHNSON a/k/a BIG BOI, JEREMY SMITH a/k/a LIL ONE, CARL MCMILLIAN, JAMES VAUGHN a/k/a SIR FLUTE, JUSTIN HANNAH, and JOE JOHNSON. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. His dad made $20 an hour as a carpenter, but most of it paid for their habits. The Simon City Royals cases will be moved to Rankin County Court next week. Under state law, gang members face enhanced penalties for criminal activity with other gang members. Like I said, it was a brotherhood, it meant a lot to me to be a Dirty. White gangs are less covered by the media, and less punished even though 53% of gang members in Mississippi are white. Woods blames the media for underreporting white gangs. The Royals, previously known as the Almighty Simon City Royal Nation, started as a Chicago street gang in the 1950s. A Warner Bros. They are exclusive so they don't really compete for membership with the Simon City Royal. It was an all-white organization, he says. . He adopted her on Valentines Day 2013. The gang was immediately involved, in the 1960s, in a series of neighborhood wars for control of the surrounding areas, quickly coming to blows with other emerging groups such as the Latin Kings. They show them the money, the girls, the cars, the flashy clothes, the things their families are just not providing them. Royals are considered the countys fastest-growing gang. The states largest gangs, the Gangster Disciples and the Vice Lords, are more fragmentary, he said, and have subsets that often dont get along with members of opposing subsets. CS. He lavished much of that money on his gang, the Sun-Times has reported. 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