Unorganized Crime: Journey to Redemption (Unabridged‪)‬

Why would anyone want to be a gangster? “I wanted the respect, the women, and the money” (Sidney Heard) 

Raised in a mob-controlled suburb of Chicago, Sidney Heard grew up wanting to be a gangster. He was on probation by the age of 13 and continued building his criminal resume over the next half a century. He was a professional arsonist for nearly 20 years, escaped from jail twice, and ran a gold scandal grossing over a quarter of a million dollars, and that’s just to name a few of his illegal escapades. To top it off, he played a role in one of the most important Supreme Court decisions of all time (Gideon v. Wainwright). 

Sidney’s underworld connections ran from the Chicago-based Italians to the Mexican Mafia. He even worked undercover for the federal government at one point in his life. However, all of Sidney’s so-called glory would come with a price. While working undercover for the FBI DEA, Sidney became hooked on drugs. He soon found himself staring at 125 years of jail time and a massive criminal record and pushing his 50th birthday. 

Can a career criminal change?