A far-reaching federal indictment of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips has drawn part-time rapper Termaine “Luce Cannon” Williams into the glare of publicity. Indicted together with suspected gang leader Eugene “Big U” Henley Jr., Cannon is accused of heavy crimes involving racketeering, robbery, and fraud. The “Operation Draw Down” case has garnered widespread publicity fueled by contagious jailhouse recordings and rampant online speculation regarding Cannon’s involvement in the probe.
Termaine Ashley Williams, alias of his stage name Luce Cannon, is a Los Angeles-based part-time rapper. Though not a name widely recognizable in mainstream circles, he has some connection to Los Angeles’ underground hip-hop community and is linked by reports to the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a major South Los Angeles street gang. His participation in the music community and suspected ties to gang activity have placed him in the center of this sensationalized case, particularly as social network sites fuel theories about his activity.
The federal indictment, unsealed in March 2025, accuses 19 individuals, including Cannon and Henley, of running a “mafia-like” criminal enterprise under the banner of the “Big U Enterprise.” Henley, a music executive and self-proclaimed anti-gang activist, is alleged to have led the group in a range of crimes, from murder and extortion to human trafficking and fraud. One chilling accusation claims Henley killed an aspiring rapper in Las Vegas in 2021 over a disrespectful song, leaving the body in a ditch. Cannon, arrested in Las Vegas, faces charges tied to robbery and other racketeering activities.
It is an Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act or RICO matter under which organized syndicates of criminals are being split up by punishing patterns of illegal acts. Authorities initiated “Operation Draw Down” in order to disrupt operations of the Rollin’ 60s in an effort to cut back gang violence and secure neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The operation is part of an overall federal effort against gang violence throughout the U.S.
Cannon’s attorneys have strongly refuted allegations that he is cooperating with the prosecution. Through a statement released on May 10, 2025, they insisted,
“Our client has not cooperated with the government.”
This denial goes against speculations that Cannon is a “snitch,” a term that holds serious stigma in gang and hip-hop circles where loyalty is everything.
Adding fuel to the fire, jail calls between Cannon and fellow rapper Bricc Baby, also indicted, went viral, sparking online debates about Cannon’s loyalty. In a conversation with DJ Akademiks, Cannon insisted,
“Everything isn’t what it seems. We’re going to get this resolved quickly,”
signaling confidence in his defense. However, music manager Wack 100 claimed to have audio suggesting Cannon’s attorney admitted to federal cooperation, a claim that remains unverified and contradicts the legal team’s stance.
Social sites such as X have conditioned opinion around the case, with assertions being relayed that reinforce both Cannon’s denial and incompatible rumors. Rumor timestamps easily in dramatic-high-stakes cases, particularly if unverified reports, such as Wack 100’s purported audio file, catch on. The “snitch” moniker is especially hurtful in hip-hop music, where artists are under intense scrutiny for perceived betrayal and often pay a professional and even safety price.
RICO offenses, which are notoriously severe, are an added dimension. Targeting not just individual crimes but entire networks of criminals, RICO offenses have the tendency to result in long prison time and make cooperation worthwhile for some defendants. This creates a dynamic that often generates speculations regarding who is cooperating with prosecutors, as in the case of Cannon.
