Gang members jailed after police discover plans to take guns to funeral

Six members of a South London gang have been jailed for firearm offenses after police uncovered plans to take guns to a funeral.

Chuckiel Simms, 25, of Blacktree Mews, Lambeth, was sentenced to nine years and nine months’ imprisonment at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday. 

He was found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of ammunition and possession of a knife.

David Messenger, 30, of Clapham Manor Street, Clapham, and Jordan Joseph, 29, of Acorn Walk, Southwark, were sentenced to 16 years and 10 years in prison, respectively, for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at Croydon Crown Court on June 28.

Nyron Johnson-Cross, 31, of Corrance Road, Lambeth, Demare Vassell, 28, of Cleeve Road, Surrey, and Jordan Jones, 31, of Stretton Road, Croydon were all sentenced to 15 years in prison. 

All three were jailed for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, at Kingston Crown Court on May 24.

Officers began investigating the men as part of wider efforts to dismantle serious and organised crime groups in the capital.

Intelligence developed by officers led them to suspect the possession of an illegal firearm at the home address of Messenger. 

In the early hours of the morning on June 17, 2023, cops executed an urgent warrant at Messenger’s home where they discovered three guns and ammunition hidden in a shoebox in a garage.

After Messenger was arrested, officers discovered deleted Snapchat conversations between Messenger and Joseph. 

The messages showed Joseph asking Messenger to keep the weapons and bring them to the funeral of Lemar Urquhart, who was fatally shot in Brixton in October 2022.

Later that day, officers discovered that a gang associate, Simms, and another individual were travelling in a taxi towards Wandsworth Cemetery in Magdalen Road, for the same funeral. 

Police intercepted the taxi and discovered a gun and ammunition, as well as a folding pocket knife. Both men were arrested and taken to Wandsworth police station.

Later that same day police ambushed another vehicle with gang associates, Johnson-Cross, Vassell and Jones in it. 

They had attended the same funeral of Lemar Urquhart. 

Another gun and ammunition were discovered in the vehicle alongside a series of knives and Class A drugs. 

Police also obtained an audio recording from the driver’s internal dash cam which had picked up conversations between the three men including discussions about where the gun was, who was in possession of it, the disappointment of not having more than one gun and how to stop getting their DNA onto the gun.

Detective Superintendent Victoria Sullivan said: “We’ve seen time and time again that guns destroy lives and communities. The shootings in recent months in parts of London are a terrible reminder of this.

“The Met’s sustained work on firearms shows our commitment to making London a safer place.

Earlier this year, the Met announced a record low in firearms offences compared to the last 15 years. Last year, 386 illegal firearms were seized across the capital – more than one a day. 

Firearm related murders have also reduced in the last three years, from 12 murders in 2021/22, to ten in 2022/23, and eight murders in 2023/24,  according to the force.

Anyone with information relating to firearms or shootings is asked to call 101, while information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Pictured top: Clockwise from top left, Jordan Joseph, David Messenger, Jordan Jones, Chuckiel Simms, Demare Vassell, Nyron Johnson-Cross (Picture: The Met)