SLAYING SERVES AS DEATH KNELL FOR DRUG-DEALING GANG

Convictions in execution of rule-breaking member cripple white supremacist
group

When a crew of city surveyors found the body of a man at the base of a hill
in the 300 block of E. Reservoir St. on the morning of Dec. 11, 1996, time
started running out on the local chapter of the Simon City Royals.

The execution of Anthony J. Socha, a wayward member of the drug-dealing,
gun-peddling, white supremacist gang, was supposed to firm up the group's
cohesion.

It instead has served to dismantle the gang, starting from the top.

In a virtually empty courtroom last week, Shaun P. Lynch was sentenced to
life in prison with no parole for fatally shooting Socha, a father of three
who managed to become a veteran felon even though he was just 25 when he
died.

According to police and prosecutors, Lynch, second in command of the local
Simon City Royals, shot Socha at the behest of Curtis Allen Steldt Jr., 28,
the so-called "governor" of the local chapter.

Two months before Lynch's sentencing, Steldt -- who was a member of the gang
"all of his adult life," according to court records -- began his own
life-without-parole term for ordering Socha's execution.

In handing down Lynch's sentence, Circuit Judge Timothy Dugan noted that it
was more than the murder of one of their own that made the Simon City Royals
a danger in Milwaukee.

"This gang was partly a hate gang," Dugan said. "It was also involved in the
sale of guns and drugs, which have done so much damage to our community."

By Steldt's own admission during his February trial, he alone had been
involved in 200 to 300 drug deals during a one-year period.

The gang's members also were free to commit burglaries, robberies or other
crimes -- with prior approval from the gang. One gang member has been
imprisoned for a second homicide and another gang member is awaiting trial
for a third killing.

Assistant District Attorney David Robles, who prosecuted Lynch, Steldt and
several other Simon City Royals, described the gang as "predominantly white
with white supremacist overtones." According to Circuit Court records, the
Milwaukee group of Royals is a subchapter of a Chicago chapter.

Steldt, who had been to prison twice before receiving the life term, brought
the gang's beliefs and bylaws to Milwaukee where he recruited young
troublemakers like Lynch, a high school dropout who had been found
delinquent as a juvenile for crimes three times.

The gang's bylaws permit members to smoke marijuana and use LSD -- with
approval by a superior -- but prohibit the use of cocaine. Also prohibited
are homosexuality and rape.

Scott J. Stevenson, a 22-year-old west side man who became a key witness in
the cases against Steldt and Lynch, told authorities that he was "sponsored"
for membership into the gang in fall 1996 by another member and was required
to pay monthly dues of $20. The gang made its money by selling drugs and
guns.

According to court records, members were fronted various amounts of cocaine
or marijuana a couple times each week. They were supposed to sell the drugs,
then turn the proceeds over to Steldt. Most of the proceeds were used to buy
more drugs; a lesser amount was put into a central fund.

Socha, who had met Steldt in prison, had been breaking two of the gang's
bylaws before he was executed: he was smoking cocaine and holding back drug
sale proceeds. It took authorities five months to piece together how Socha
ended up at the bottom of the hill on Reservoir St. with a bullet hole in
his head. It took nearly a year and a half to convict Steldt of setting it
up, and Lynch of carrying it out.

On the night Socha was killed, Steldt had warned other gang members that
Socha was going to be punished for violations. After Socha arrived at a gang
member's home, Steldt, Lynch and three other gang members took turns beating
and kicking him.

"We're taking him to Boot Hill," Steldt announced as Socha lay dazed on the
floor, Stevenson, who did not join in the beating, later told authorities
and a jury.

Socha was subsequently dragged out to Steldt's car. Lynch, Stevenson,
another gang member named David Follette and Steldt then rode to Reservoir
St. with Socha.

"If anyone else wants to shoot, they can, or I will," Steldt said, according
to Stevenson.

After Lynch volunteered, Socha tried to flee but was beaten some more, then
thrown to the base of the hill. On Steldt's order, he was shot in the head,
according to Stevenson.

"Don't say anything, or else," Steldt later warned Stevenson.

Stevenson eventually did talk to police. By June, authorities had enough
information to charge Steldt and Lynch in the killing.

Lynch eventually pleaded guilty to charges of substantial battery, false
imprisonment and first-degree intentional homicide and agreed to testify
against Steldt, who faced the same charges.

When he was on the witness stand during Steldt's February trial, however,
Lynch unexpectedly denied being the shooter. Steldt spent the better part of
a day on the witness stand denying that he ordered the execution, but
admitting being a leader of the gang.

Over the objections of defense attorney Steven R. Kohn, Robles grilled
Steldt at length about the operation of the gang, its drug dealings and gun
sales.

After more than six hours of deliberations, the jury found Steldt guilty of
all three counts. In March, Dugan gave Steldt the life-without-parole
sentence.

Even though he assisted authorities, Stevenson was prosecuted for being a
party to the beating that preceded the murder. He received three years of
probation.

For his role in the beating, Follette, 19, was sentenced to 38 months in
prison.

Owen Kreinus, 19, another participant, was not prosecuted for his role. But
he was prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison in February
for fatally stabbing another man after a traffic altercation.

Robles said that at least one other gang member will be prosecuted for
participating in the Socha beating.

Meanwhile, another alleged gang member, Larry T. Ellis, 17, is awaiting
trial on a charge of first-degree reckless homicide for the August 1995
fatal drive-by shooting of Larry Burnette Jr., 18, in the 2300 block of S.
16th St.

Before he was sentenced last week, Lynch asked to withdraw his guilty pleas,
but Dugan rejected the request and noted that he believed the maneuver --
along with Lynch's unexpected denial on the witness stand during Steldt's
trial -- was part of a ploy to disrupt the case.

"I don't believe there is an opportunity to rehabilitate you even at the
young age of 19," Dugan told Lynch. "That's a sad comment to make."

After the sentencing, Robles declined to pronounce the gang dead.

"But I will say that I believe the prosecution of this offense as a gang
crime will have a substantial effect on that organization," he said.

Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"