The Simon City Royals came to Milwaukee in the 1980's from Chicago. In 1997 authorities dismantled the gang. The organization sprouted up again, but in 2006 federal and local police rounded up more than a dozen of members. Now seven more have been arrested and another eight, already imprisoned, have been charged with separate offenses.
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm says his office spent the two years building a strong case to ensure proper convictions. The probe was left open to pursue possible federal charges but Chisholm says prosecution at the state level was determined to be the best route.
As for the remaining Simon City members still at large, Chisholm expects police to arrest them "in the near future."
One jailed gang member on the run from Milwaukee Police allegedly killed a Florida police officer in 2005.