Georgia man pleads guilty to drug trafficking, gun charges
BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A Georgia man who won $3 million in a scratch-off lottery game last year invested his winnings in a crystal meth trafficking ring, according to federal prosecutors.
Ronnie Music Jr., 45, pleaded guilty last week to federal drug trafficking and firearm charges.
"Music decided to test his luck by sinking millions of dollars of lottery winnings into the purchase and sale of crystal meth," U.S. Attorney Ed Tarver said. "As a result of his unsound investment strategy, Music now faces decades in a federal prison."
According to evidence presented at his plea hearing, Music conspired with others to traffic methamphetamine in Ware County, Georgia, and elsewhere.
In September 2015, Music's co-conspirators were caught attempting to sell about 11 pounds of crystal meth, with a street value over $500,000.
Music was identified as a source of supply for the meth, which he had purchased for resale with his lottery winnings from 2015.
The investigation further revealed that Music purchased the methamphetamine for resale with his own lottery winnings.
Investigating agents seized over $1 million worth of methamphetamine, a large cache of firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, multiple vehicles and over $600,000 in cash during the investigation.
Music faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
He and other members of the conspiracy will be sentenced by Chief Judge Wood after the United States Probation Office conducts a pre-sentence investigation.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Glynn-Brunswick Narcotics Enforcement Team (GBNET).
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Music?
.
Busted for Crystal Meth after his $3 million win?
wow is there something in the water? crystal meth really if he wanted to do drugs move to the States where weed is legal.
He should have changed his name to Heisenberg.
STUPID !!!! However, he was probably doing Drugs BEFORE he won the Lottery !!!
I would say Marijuana is a safer investment strategy then Meth....
I would say neither is a good choice.
It's about time TLC did a story called 'Whatever happened to the lottery winner?'. He'd be right up there with Jack Whitaker, David Edwards et al, though they did have a segment on both of them it needs updating.
So now he has thrown his life away and in the poorhouse, sad, very sad.
Ronnie could simply have been following the advice of people who have money, you want to make it last-invest. He probably saw the current rates & told himself that he can double, even triple his investment because demand for the product is off the charts.
Is it just me or does Ronnie look a lil like Boromir without the long hair.
And his case, it might be for decades or longer.
Dumba$$. Sigh...
WTF IDIOT!!!!!!!
K'mon man meth? the resale must be really high guess it was worth it
I actually thought he looks more like Jony Ive from Apple:
Hmmm... I'd say Todd is right on this one. Look at the similarities in the eyes, nose, and brow line.
I hear many lotto winners blowing their winnings on blow. This guy tried breaking bad to break even on his habit.
Speechless on this one.
No words....
If they did they would find this on Mr. Music;
Confiscated were 11 guns, a house, a Dodge Charger and a 2015 GMC Sierra, plus $600,000 that was in his bank account. Past events include a conviction of making terrorist threats in 2003. He was additionally convicted of possessing a prohibited weapon and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. His rap sheet also includes a 2009 incident involving the operation of a meth lab resulting in a 10 year conviction but was released on parole in 2012.
Oh, he was also wanted on an outstanding parole warrant.
He must've watched too much Breaking Bad. Or maybe he didn't watch it long enough. The drug business is a risky investment.
It will be Music in prison for the next decades.
At least setup an alias for your drug operation, such as "Heisenberg", keep your house and property clean of all illegal activities, and don't have $600,000 sitting in your local bank account available for seizure. TV can be so educational!
I'm not sure that's the best way to invest your winnings...
That's my least favorite type of person: A professional criminal. Glad he got caught, probably very <snip>y with the I'm above the law type of attitude. Bubba will fix his attitude very quickly in prison; he will be the pretty boy in the block.
such is the life he chose ....
Breaking Stupid
I am music* not Ronnie Music in Georgia. What a waste of a life. Especially here in America.
That should have been a little under $2 million after taxes. While that may not have been enough for him to retire immediately, it could have made his life a lot less stressful.
Maybe, someday luck will shine upon me.
music*:
No one should confuse you with him. You are way too smart to ever do something so stupid and you don't live in the Peachtree state.
I guess he could not change his tune.
Are you sure this is not former lp member nutty Ronnie? The meth use would explain a lot about him! Lol
yeah OK. realtorjim
THAT Ronnie from Arizona who kept trying to come back to L.P. with other stupid aliases and was picked out by other posters lol? That Ronnie ? Hahahahaha
Yea that one. Lol lol He always claimed he wanted the whole world to know if he won. Now they do. Lol
Hmm?
Only one thing to say:
THE QUALITY OF YOUR STUPIDITY IS RISING!!!
Yes, I know, I know.
Lol
We all do stupid things at times, but repeating stupid things is... well, stupid.
Amen.
Zoom in on his face. An almost broken man looking for a break. The win could
have been it but he chose to do wrong again. At least he and his portion of
poison are off the streets.Very small victory though, there are always replacements
100 times over.
Unbelievably stupid,
I hope he lost it all !
He will make (not so sweet) Music with his new cellmate, Brutus.
rotflmao, and somewhere the little woman wait for him.
Michael Douglas playing iconic role of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street said it best
"A fool and his money are lucky enough to get together in the first place".
Maybe he watched one episode too many of Breaking Bad. This "genius" was a fool's fool. Lady luck was seriously sloshed when she laid eyes of that guy.
I agree he is a dupe. He should also be considered for "The stupidest criminal of the CENTURY"! What an idiot!
If he'd followed the show at all he would have known he needed to put money aside for lawyers and for hush money for crew members who got busted in order to keep them quiet. And if that didn't work, well, we know how Walter White handled that scenario.
This by far will go down in history as my absolute favorite lottery fail. Still can't stop laughing. It's priceless.
If someone had put this premise in a book no one would consider it believable.
This beats out Hot Sauce, 400 pairs of pants and boob jobs combined
That is the most messed up part of this story. Anders Breviek got sentenced to 25 years for killing dozens and this crappy country could send you to prison for life just for making and selling something? Drugs need to be punished and punished severely, but life is not a fair amount.
You are messed up. Did you miss the whole point where the guy won millions and decided to invest in illegal drugs?
Seen this 1 over and over....sudden wealth and common sense is out the window.
And the moral of the story is.... Some people just don't deserve to win the lottery.
So true! LOL
I have no qualms with convicted felons getting a 2nd chance but whether it's freedom or a huge windfall, they always seem to squander the opportunity and this case is just another example.
koe,
No doubt there are problems in the USA. As there are in every country around the world.
But, if the USA is SO crappy for you, why are you still here? If it's so bad for you, you would find a way to go to China, or where ever.
He's been brainwashed.
Lotteries don't care who wins.
Money magnifies character, good or bad.
There are fools and d*mn fools.
Move along. Nothing to see here.
"Money magnifies character"? Never thought of it that way. Very true zephbe.
This post gave me an idea for a new topic in the Lottery Discussion forum.
It is titled: "When you win, what GOOD things will you do with the money?"
https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/305391
Come and share your thoughts and ideas.
Excellent!
What a waste... He should have banked 80% of that money and got into a legit business. I truly hope the judge throws the book at him just for being dumb!
maybe interesting. why you don't say what you will do on that topic over there
Hello to all! I'm black$wan! I'm brandy-new to the site, but feel like I already 'know' a lot of you as I have been reading Todd's postings and your various responses for many months. Finally decided to stop standing on the sidelines and join in the fun! Tonight is Powerball! WOO-HOO!!! Blessings and good luck to you all!
Loved your movie Black Swan. Welcome to lp! Home of the free and the brave.
Thank you Todd for the
Coming from the "Chief Bottle Washer" that means a lot to me.
Although I am relatively new to Lottery Post, I have tried to contribute as often as possible. It has become like an extended family to me and I'm glad I can be part of what you have created for all of us.
Keep up the good excellent job you do!
A lucky thug got a winning ticket that could change his life.But u know how a thug thinks.IDIOT.
With a RAP sheet like that they were watching him the minute he walked out the door with his money!!!!!! Look up MORON in the Dictionary and his picture is next to it LOL!!!
Ron White was right: you can't fix stupid. Why can't I win that? It's not record jackpot money, but I'm still free from working if I plan right.
What a prick he is by selling that poison...A rope and a tree limb will cure this problem, not jail time or fines...
That guy is a special kind of stupid. If used properly, that amount of money could've turned his life around for the better. Once a piece of trash, always a piece of trash in most cases, unfortunately.
During the monster powerball craze a Fox 5 news reporter was asking people at the Primm Valley Liquor Store what would they do if they won The powerball. This one guy said he'd buy a bunch of hookers and cocaine this Georgia guy reminds me of that guy. The lottery is a funny place where good/bad/dumb people can be instant or over night millionaires. Maybe the state lotteries should do back round checks on lotto winners before signing the big check to anyone with bad intentions.
Lol! Whoever said buying your way into the drug industry isn't an investment? Apparently, he and I'm assuming his small mini cartel had things under control until he got caught.
He can't be on "Lottery changed my life" on TLC for awhile.
Nothing makes sense here. This convicted felon gets a second chance at life and he goes back to doing what landed him in jail in the first place? Darwin recipient.