Mocobizscene- A member of the Simon City Royals (SCR) gang, who is also an inmate in Mississippi, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison today. The sentence comes as a result of his involvement in racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, which includes murder.
Court documents reveal that Dillon Heffker, a 33-year-old resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, actively participated in the criminal operations of the Simon City Royals. This notorious prison gang, primarily operating within the Mississippi Department of Corrections, had members and affiliates involved in criminal activities both inside and outside prisons across Mississippi, Louisiana, and beyond. By forging an alliance with the Gangster Disciples gang, the Simon City Royals were involved in a multitude of unlawful acts, including murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, witness tampering, money laundering, racketeering, drug trafficking, and fraud. The gang’s reign of violence extended throughout the state prison system and the entire state of Mississippi.
On October 5, 2023, Heffker admitted his guilt to Count One of an indictment, which accused him of RICO conspiracy. During the sentencing hearing on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills expressed his grave concern over the severity of this violent crime, stating that it is “one of the most serious offenses I have encountered in my judicial career.” Consequently, Heffker has been sentenced to 420 months in prison, with an additional 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner stated that the Simon City Royals, a violent criminal gang, were responsible for a surge of violence in Mississippi prisons a few years ago. He emphasized that the recent sentence, along with nearly 50 other prosecutions of the gang and its affiliates, should serve as a strong message. It demonstrates the commitment to utilizing all available resources to prosecute individuals who engage in such atrocious acts, whether they occur within prison walls or beyond.
“ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge, Joshua Jackson, emphasized the commitment to safeguarding our communities and holding accountable those who pose a threat to our safety. This is exemplified by the imprisonment of a career criminal. The sentence given serves as a powerful message to the community, affirming that violent gang members will be held responsible for their actions. Keeping our neighborhoods safe remains a top priority for ATF.”
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw emphasized the DEA’s commitment to dismantling violent drug trafficking organizations. She emphasized that the agency is sending a strong message to criminal gangs, stating that Mississippi has zero tolerance for their illegal activities. Daniels-McCaw made it clear that their time in the state is over.
The ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Secret Service, FBI Jackson Field Office, Mississippi Department of Corrections, and numerous local law enforcement agencies across multiple states have all conducted an extensive investigation into this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stringfellow from the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Ben Tonkin of the DOJ’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section handled the prosecution of the case.
This case is a component of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that unites law enforcement agencies and local communities to combat violent crime and gun violence, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the safety of our neighborhoods. On May 26, 2021, the Department initiated an improved strategy to reduce violent crime, reinforcing PSN’s foundation on key principles: building trust and credibility within our communities, providing support to community-based organizations that proactively prevent violence, prioritizing targeted and strategic enforcement efforts, and assessing the outcomes achieved.
This case is also a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most high-level criminal organizations that pose a threat to the United States. It follows a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that utilizes the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat criminal networks.
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