North Carolina single mother Marie Holmes, who won the $188 million Powerball lottery in February, was arrested on July 23 for marijuana possession. Officers also arrested three other people from her home in Shallotte, North Carolina.
Holmes took home a lump sum $88 million after taxes in February. When she won, the 26-year-old single mother reportedly quit both of her jobs at Wal-Mart and McDonald's to care for her four young children, one of whom has cerebral palsy.
(See N.C. Powerball lottery winner claims share of jackpot worth $188 million, Lottery Post, Feb. 24, 2015.)
Although three children were at the house at the time of her arrest, Child Protective Services was not involved.
Public Information Officer Emily Flax with the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office stated that Lamar Andre McDow, 31, who lives with Holmes, broke his curfew in violation of his pre-trial release agreement for heroin trafficking and possession charges.
When police arrived at Holmes' residence to arrest McDow, they smelled marijuana, so they obtained a warrant, returned to the home and searched it around 10 p.m. on July 23. The officers reportedly found marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a .45 caliber pistol.
Police cited Holmes, 21-year-old Damarius Dontrell Simmons and 31-year-old Danell Lamont McNeil each for marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia.
Police also arrested 23-year-old Jeffrey Antuan Gause for resisting a public officer, and they later released him on a $1,000 bail.
McDow faces charges of possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana paraphernalia and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. McDow is currently detained in the Brunswick County Detention Facility, pending a $6 million bail.
According to the state, the gun is registered to Holmes, but McDow had handled it, which led to his firearm possession charge.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Thomas alleged that McDow is Holmes' fiance, and rumor has it that she has paid his bail before, although court payment records cannot confirm this. They point only to bail bondsmen, who do not typically disclose who paid them.
and this is news because ???
I wonder how many other lottery winners got arrested after winning the lottery...
a petty misdemeanor charge. she probably smoke a lil weed.
"Sheriff's Office stated that Lamar Andre McDow, 31, who lives with Holmes, broke his curfew in violation of his pre-trial release agreement for heroin trafficking and possession charges."
Heroin........nice, guess she needs to choose her boyfriends a bit more carefully going forward. Guessing she is one that will be broke in a year!
WOW!!! Sounds like she has been involved with the wrong type of people!! I hope she delete those out of her life who will ruin her! She will be broke again if she doesn't rethink her life and leave those drugs alone.
It's news because of the life-choices she made before she won, and after she won. Life-choices that will end badly for her and her kids.
Whether someone wins a jackpot or not, they have to want to get out, or better yet, not get in to situations and life styles that are bad, and more importantly, choose who to be around.
I think it's a sad story to see this. But, not surprising.
Everybody has been jumping in on this news story about her all weekend in the Discussion forum and some have been jumping to conclusions already. And a couple of posters most notable noise-gate and teddi have given opinions that made sense. Lets not judge her too soon because there is a lot that is not known. There are two sides to a story. But one thing is certain that everybody can agree on is who she has chosen to associate with. That was the thing that got her in hot water in the first place.
"The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you
closely associate - for the good and the bad."
A Colin Powell quote.
She will fight and win the cases but it will cost her. Good lawyers cost a lot.
surprised that the kids weren't taken
Time for her to smell the coffee. Pack up your four kids and get the heck out of North Carolina and leave them losers behind. They will drag you down and you'll be broke before you know it. Now you have the police department watching you its time to leave.
Hopefully this is a wake up call for her to straighten out who she hangs around. With the money she has, she needs to move away from that area and away from people who will just enable this type of stuff. Get moved to somewhere like Colorado where at least if she does decide to smoke some marijuana, it'll be legal.
7/27/15
Marie's first mistake was not to get the other 3 adults out of her home. Know that would be very difficult since one was her fiance.
Guess having the pistol in her home was for protection from predators in her area.
If she still enjoys pot, Colorado may be a better place to live, at least she won't be arrested, but it could still get her into trouble with child protection issues.
The fool that said," religion was the opium of the masses" ,seems to be a statement in human contradictions, since many folks are addicted to something.
Opiates ( heroin addictions ) are the current epidemic in our land.
Prosecuting for pot seems to be a waste of time, but the local authorities in her area ,no doubt were keeping a close eye on her activities and figured it could boost their local economy to prosecute.
Hope and pray this family gets their problems resolved.
money is opportunity. her and her kids now have all the opportunity they could ever have. i just hop , for her , and for every lotto winner. they make the right choice , for the people that really matter. its tough. only she can make it work. she can ask for help... hopefully from righteous trustworthy people...
good luck honey, you are going to need it.
well after a quick bit of research she has the few options if shes a pot head ......
but if shes smart ,she'll quit and start putting her kids first and try not to wind up like Mr Edwards or worse
Marie Holmes said that she would pay her tithes. I suggest the she follow that money. I mean that she should look for decent human beings in her Church. She could get referrals to as many counselors as she wants. The more counselors usually means the more wisdom that you will get.
I hope that it is not to late for her to enter into a (DFZ) , a Decision Free Zone. Susan Bradley CFP has authored ,"Sudden Money". this book will help her survive this culture shock. A DFZ will start after her honeymoon period of spending recklessly. Her DFZ will last as long as the Winner needs it too. Hire Professionals ! She can afford them.
I hope she learns the word "NO". She said that her children would not get everything they ask for. It is usually friends and family who are the most difficult to say NO too.
Marie Holmes has at least seventy years ahead of her. She needs to make intelligent decisions from now on. Sure, she will make mistakes but those can be trivial and not hurt her financially speaking.
I would suggest she look at CDARS. Which is , Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service. I might guess that the maximum amount she can invest into CDARS is $50 Million Dollars. Like Will Rogers said,"I am more concerned about the return of my money and not the return on my money". If you are curious then look up CDARS.com .
I hope that she does not become another Rags to Riches to Rags story. Plus not a Curse of the Lottery show.
She should not ignore the IRS . This year you can give up to $14,000.00 per person. She can use her Life time exclusion of $4.35 million. She definitely needs a CPA because I need one now. I have doubts about that $$4.35 Million figure. I could be wrong.
Marie needs an Attorney for Trusts and Estates, a CPA, a CFP, Insurance. The insurance is for Umbrella coverage in case anyone sues her for slipping on her property, or a car accident, etc.. A CFP which is a Certified Financial Planner to make a life long plan for her money. A CPA is a Certified Public Accountant for her taxes. She still owes taxes if she has not paid the remainder on her win.
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This is what happens when you let the whole world know that you are rockin' some serious cash. ALL EYES ON ME AND THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER TO BOOT. Millions smoke weed everyday and it doesn't make "front page news". If you win the lottery, keep your mouth shut. If you like weed so much, move to a state like Colorado, where instead of the Cops arresting you, they probably be able to tell you who has the best weed in town. I thought the girl was selling drugs which would be a dumbass thing to do. Smoking a lil weed in the privacy of her own home? C'MON MAN!!!.
A fool and their money are lucky to get together in the first place, and are able to be departed very easily. I thought she had a good head on her shoulder. I could be wrong. She might end up being unwilling inductee in to the Jackpot winner curse of self destruction.a
If she really wants to give the tithe to God, then she should rather use that money to build her own charity organization that actually use money to help people. God would be more pleased with that.
I do my retail business in a ghetto area, and I know that a lot of those people grow up having poor tastes in many things. I've been doing the retail in Inland Empire for more than ten years and I know how ghetto people are. They are born and raised in an environment that won't let them build good tastes. And as for Ms. Holmes it was quite obvious. And such kind of attitude is not unfamiliar to me. :(
If I ever won that same amount of jackpot that Marie Holmes won, I would probably set up a non-profit tech firm for a certain reason. I study computer graphics in my spare time and those programs needs to be easier to learn and more affordable. Sure, there are free program like Blender but its UI is known to be very inconsistent. Someone with money gotta jump in and fix the problems.
And here i am wishing i could win and start fresh. Some people are given
the opportunity and just waste it. If i could win that kind of money i would
pay off all my bills for me and my immediate family and bank the rest. Later for
having a blood sucking entourage.
still this man under 6 million bond r u serious... people killing folks n not under that much... when weed becomes legal in nc what then. wow
Ha Ha, and so it begins, said when this chick first won she was the type of person you read about that is dead broke or worse a few years after they have won the lottery and she is on track for that to happen. The worst thing you can do if give someone like that a massive amount of cash all at once, it is like giving a monkey a loaded gun.
Oh for God sakes. Please tell me this woman doesn't want to join Dave Edwards & Jack Whitaker in the "Pantheon of Total Lottery Losers"...
Honestly I don't care if she smokes weed or now but dang! with a blessing of winning that much in the lottery it would have seemed like she wouldn't be handing around these shady characters and having her children in the home while smoking weeds...with that much moola she could have paid for a legal permit 2 smoke!I don't get it!
He wasn't given a $6 million bond because of Marijuana possession. The fact that he broke his curfew in agreement with his pre-trial release stemming from the article below, the marijuana in the house, the fact that he's a felon with possession of a firearm, is what got him the $6 million bond.
This from Feb 28th 2015.
BRUNSWIICK COUNTY | Bail set at $3 million wasn't enough to keep a Shallotte man charged in a major drug bust in jail.
Lamar McDow left the Brunswick County Jail Friday after posting bail, said Emily Flax, spokeswoman for the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office.
While bail bondsmen routinely require only a percentage of the total bond to post bail, that percentage still would be sizable with bail sent at $3 million.
McDow was arrested Nov. 14 and charged with several drug offenses, some of which stemmed from a seizure last summer of more than 8,000 bags of heroin.
McDow was charged with conspiring to traffic heroin; two counts of trafficking heroin; possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver heroin; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of marijuana; and a second charge of conspiring to traffic heroin that stemmed from the drug seizure, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office.
McDow is a gang member who had been involved in large-scale drug activity in Brunswick County, the sheriff's office said at the time he was arrested.
McDow's arrest and that of two others came after a yearlong investigation based on community complaints and tips, the sheriff's office said.
Wow! so very true! ever time I see that video of Jack Whittaker saying he gave his granddaughter $2000 a week and bought her all these cars I just cringe!And when he also said she was very responsible I just want to faint!...WHAT???Is this dude delusional??? this chick was a hard core drug addict...she was in drug Disneyland when he contributed to her getting high.he made it okay that she didn't have to take responsibilities for her actions...he made it okay that she never ever had to experience what working at a job felt like for normal people...he made it okay for her to sit around all day and night and get high on his dime and he also is responsible for contributing to putting his granddaughter is the ground...sorry to sound harsh but that is how I feel and I absolutely have to mercy for him...and I hope for her own sake Holmes is not on the list of winners who became losers who hits the skids that everybody talks about like a dog!
That's a huge bond. I think they made it that high because they know she can pay it and he will probably run because he's headed to prison for a while. Her other problem is everyone knows where she lives and could become a easy target.
Yup, agreed, plus he already posted bail on $3 million and all the other charges, the biggest being possession of a firearm by a felon.
This is a sad situation. It is my fervent hope that the trust funds for the children have already been put into place. So that they may be taken care for their life. Let her do what she will with the rest. If she wants to blow it, it is her right. I will just shake my head and move on. May she realize the example thT she is setting for her children, but who am I to speculate....
She is a good woman may she be blessed all her life in what she doze congradulations again to her on her new found wealth she deserves to have the blessings good hearted woman just with wrong people that's all
Good or not, she definitely isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. 4 kids at the age of 26 with no husband/father around. Strongest male/father influence is a drug dealing felon.
I see nothing good out of this situation.
I agree.....
3 million chump change to her now, sure she made some bad choices previously, but all that went away when she made the right choice in selecting those numbers or had impeccable timing when buying a quick pik for that jackpot. laughing at anyone on here that bashes her if she goes on this site which is doubtful.she'll clean out the deadwood in her life eventually.
Relax people, if she blows all her $ all she has to do is buy more tickets and win another jackpot at will. Once a winner wins, they can't lose!
SIX MILLION DOLLAR BAIL FOR THE BOYFRIEND?
Is he a seriel killer? Actually, they'd have less bail.
Total bull<snip>.
Excuses, excuses!
Money doesn't change people, it just shows everyone who you really are.
She's a short sighted Hood Rat who will blow through this money fast!
And when it's all said and done will probably put up a Gofundme account begging
others to please help her and her kids!
That's some pretty strong language coming from someone who calls themselves " Cute". l guess you don't believe in second chances huh Nikki?
Did you miss the part where he is a drug dealing felon that handled a gun, which automatically sends him back where he belongs....in jail?
15-25 years AWAY from Her...
wow thats some pretty harsh judging your doing there. just because u get a little money dont mean u aint human and make bad choices and decisions.. I dont understand why she had to be a hoodrat
I totally agree! I would get outta dodge with my kids! You would see my dust! Let those hanger-ons fend for themselves.
I was thinking the same thing. Just move to Colorado or some state where its legal. lol!
Yeah, she seemed like such a doll, but ugh, such a bonehead.
Found money doesn't make you smarter.
First, I'd like to say that I agree with your entire post.
However, most people of a poor background aren't thinking of securing their future. They are just here and now, because they feel that they have gone without for so long. However, that is a myth also, because if you chose to live an abundant life from the start everything else will fall into place.
I don't know if this is already something put in place or not, however I feel that all State Lotteries should offer everyone some kind of pre-consultation before even signing for their checks. (optional of course) but at least it will be offered. Just like when you go in for surgery and the doctor has to consult you and let you know the pro/cons of the situation. Also, a doctor gives you the best advice for how to recover successfully.
If they are not doing this, I really pray that they will start. I'm going to write my State Agency and hear what they have to say. There are many lives at state and not just money.
I hope she is not involved in funding this drug operation. If she is, she will definitely lose her kids and her blackass will be incarcerated for a long, long time.
Wow! Some of these posts are a little over the top. Granted she needs new friends and obviously needs to kick the current boyfriend to the curb. But she was arrested on a marijuana possession charge that is a misdemeanor at the most. Do you really think she is the only lottery winner that has smoked a little weed?
Saylor,
I know some of the comments are on the tough side,so-to-speak. I get the "weed is a misdemeanor thing". I just think most folks on this site are very appreciative of what a jackpot win would do for our family if one of us won it. People tend to speak their minds on negative issues(like what Ms. Holmes is recently accused of). A significant amount of the avid players on this site see what she is exposing her children to and how she is just being stupid/reckless with such a phenomenal (lottery jackpot) gift. It is their opinion to speak their piece and post what they want, just as it is yours or mine.
Do I think she's the only winner to smoke a little weed ?? probably not.... Do I think she shows role model characteristics and good moralistic judgement for her children ??? Not one single bit !!! Anyone who would put themselves in this situation after winning 10's of millions of dollars really has no clue of what it means to be responsible for family/lifestyle choices/money. Furthermore, she doesn't show any signs of wanting to improve by this recent incident.
Does it upset me that she's doing this to her kids/herself ? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPE(not my outhouse, not my job to clean it), just makes me appreciate my choices in life a little more.... I only wish I was the lucky one that held that ticket instead of her, that's all.
I hope that one of the LPer's hold a jackpot ticket soon and willingly gives us all an education on "how to handle the sudden wealth".
May the winning numbers be on your next lottery ticket !!!!
So well said. Not much to add other then I will graciously volunteer for the next winner position! Pretty sure I'd only be charged with taking one too many advil when the knees give way some days.
Reckon Money doesn't build character, that you have to do thru life experiences.
Just goes to show u.Anybody can win just buy a ticket,black,white,latino,asian,educated,uneducated,thug,whoever.Just hope she figures out that she has to make some changes in her life,with all that money.Especially for her kids.
No, I did not miss it.
And $6,000,000 bail is still absurd.
Well, let's review. 1000 bags of heroin. Convicted felon. Convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Smoking weed in a house full of children. Drug dealer.
For an idiot like that, the bail can't be high enough. He's a flight risk.
Like I said, even though she is a fool she has no worries because she's a winner.
She can go buy more tickets at anytime and win at will.
Right, Prince of Thieves..
R-i-i-i-ight
Murder suspects, in some cases multiple, are typically held for less bail $$$ than that. Google it (and then review).
Nothing mentioned here remotely approaches that.
The dollar amount in this case simply reflects the ability of the rich girlfriend to pay, should she choose (again) to.
You can't positively impact people who are beyond repair. We have too many with savior-complexes (captain-save-a ho) trying to "redeem" people who are HAPPY being LOSERS.
Being a hoodrat is a lifestyle, money doesn't change anything. Now she is a rich hoodrat.
Stop trying to convince someone who has ACCEPTED that lifestyle that they should "change".
She's exactly where she wants to be!
Not hard to find the folks who were raised by hoodrats.
They are always defending these degenerates.
Guess they're holding out hope someone will swoop in and save them too
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Thanks for really great references. First time hearing of CDARS for $50M protection and Susan Bradley's book Sudden Money. Sounds like required reading for all big time lottery wins.
Gleno, You are welcome. CDARS may be able to protect more then $50 million. Susan Bradley's ,Sudden Money is just an introduction to many ways a person can come into unexpected wealth. Like Inheritance, Divorce, Money won in a court case, winning the LOTTERY. The book is not a replacement for a live CFP ,Certified Financial Planner.
There are so many wealth managers, advisers, counselors. Mental health therapists. I will pay good money for answers that they are willing to sell.
I know the guy who sold her the winning ticket. They were friends and he helped take care of her kids. She gave him only a $1,000. She has not taken care of any of her family members. Its sad. This is why she's having such bad luck.
Welcome! Sad indeed...
Wow, a slippery slope.
Man, sould I ever win a nice sized lotto, I'm only going to do good positive things with it.
Like:
Things like that. Certainly not doing drugs and associating with the same.
What a big waste.
just got strange email this morning
According to timewarner cable news online . Marie Holmes posted $6 million bail for the boyfriend on August 6,2015.The boyfriend is out on bond.She also paid an additional $3million earlier this year when he was arrested.This is very sad because Marie Holmes is not making wise decisions for the best interest of her children .I would not be surprize if DSS/Child services intercepts and remove her children from the home.I pray that she gets it together.
Well, the time line would suggest that she posted the bail, but that's not public knowledge, although the D.A. said she had posted the first bond. I'd say it was a safe bet she had b/c he was bonded out (the first time) either that day or the next day after she collected her winnings. (I forget the exact time period) What I'd like to know is if she personally put up the bond amounts in both cases, or used the services of a bail bondsman. From what I read, the N.C. bondsman can charge up to 20% of the bond and that has to be paid up front and is a non-refundable fee. (which means she might have had to pay up to $1.8 million to get his worthless carcass out of jail). I'd also like to know if the original bond was rolled over into the new $6 million bond - or if they were separate - and if the original bond was forfeited b/c of his breaking the terms of his bail. I also wondered about the govt. stepping in on behalf of the children, esp. since it's a fact there were several in the home while they were getting high and also that she keeps associating with not just her b/f, but other convicted felons.
"she might have had to pay up to $1.8 million to get his worthless carcass out of jail"
That's a bargain compared to putting up $6 million of her own money if he decides that sticking around for a trial isn't in his best interests. Of course from what we've seen about her decision making skills I'd have to assume she bet her own money on him.
Marie Holmes probaly went through a bondsman .Its just ridicoulous to even bail someone like this out of jail .Marie Holmes posted on facebook telling people to stop worrying about how she spend her money and other media outlets have posted this on internet as well .She seem to have a good head on her shoulders fooling everyone before she got her money and now she seems to be squandering it .It would be hard to feel sorry for her if she spent all of it due to unwise decisions.With that kind of money she threw away ,she could be helping the homeless,providing scholarships for indigent kids ,donating to st jude ,or a organization for her special needs son.
I wouldnt be surprize if Marie Holmes provided attourneys for him either . Im sure he will be right back in jail ,and she ill do it again.The boyfriend seems to be a repeat offender.She has alot of growing up to do .Marie Holmes made herself look very ignorant posting on facebook .
I found a local N.C. TV news website w/ this article and video: Lottery winner’s fiance out of jail on $6M bond; Holmes responds . I also went to the article on their Facebook page and found the comment by Holmes, but her wall and posts on it are hidden, so I couldn't tell if it was in fact really her. Seems to be, though, what with all the personal photographs of her and her kids, but then again, the URL to her page has "Richard Mook Wifey" in it, so....ya never know.
She accuses others of judging her and I can see her point in regards to folks like me who don't live there and do not know her, but her fellow citizens definitely are entitled to "judge" or whatever they want to say about the matter. After all, she's financing the release of a known gang member, a convicted felon who sells poison, back into their community. They have a right to be concerned.
i agree and Marie Holmes lottery story may not be a good one told ...
i see all of the comments to Marie Holmes on facebook .The public certainly thinks shes squandering her money and making unwise decisions .Yes they do have a right to be concerned bailing out a felon with gang ties.McDow even had the nerve to cover up his face when a news crew had cameras on him being release from jail.
I went back a yr. or so on her timeline and could see the comments there, but maybe I couldn't see the most recent ones b/c of some Facebook specific add-ons I have for my FF browser. Maybe the comments just weren't loading for me earlier. I thought the name she signed up with, the one in her wall's URL, was strange.
EDIT TO ADD: Nope, I still get the To see what she shares with friends, send her a friend request msg. when I go to her profile. The only posts I can access are from a yr. or longer back.
shes on twitter to .There is no way i would be on any social media especially after all the bad judgement and decisions shes made.