Two Picayune men were recently sentenced to 40 years in prison each for their part in a kidnapping of two Navy men in 2017.

According to a press release from the Second Circuit Court District Attorney’s office, the defendants, identified as 27-year-old Colton Delaughter and 24-year-old William Stockstill, both of Picayune, will have to serve 25 years each of that sentence.

The release states that the two men are members of the Simon City Royals gang and entered guilty pleas to the charges of kidnapping and armed robbery Monday. The case was handled by District Attorney Joel Smith’s office, the release states.

According to the release, Delaughter and Stockstill perpetuated the crimes the day of Feb. 17, 2017 when they kidnapped two men enlisted in the Navy from the parking garage of the Beau Rivage.

After kidnapping the men, Delaughter and Stockstill confiscated their cellphones to prevent them from calling for help, drove them to a nearby gas station where they forced them to withdraw cash from an ATM and forced them to buy snacks, the release states. While paying for the snacks one of the victims wrote “help me” and “gun” on the receipt before giving it to one of the gas station employees, who later called police, the release states.

After leaving the gas station, the men drove the victims to the Hollywood Casino where they were forced to take out more cash from another ATM before Delaughter and Stockstill drove them to an area near the interstate where the victims were left on the roadside. The release states that after the victims were dropped off, they flagged down a vehicle and called for help.

Investigators with the Biloxi and Pass Christian police departments headed up the investigation and procured surveillance footage that led to Delaughter and Stockstill being identified as the suspects, the release states.

Delaugther was arrested the next day in Carriere, and was still in possession of the rental car the men were using while visiting the Gulf Coast from their station in Pensacola, the release states.

Stockstill was also found a day later in Richland.

“These convictions are the result of the victim’s ability to maintain their composure in this case, their ability to alert the gas station clerk and the hard work of the case detectives,” said Smith in the release. “We will not tolerate violence to tourists or residents of the Mississippi coast.”