BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A southeast Georgia man used his $3 million winnings from a lottery scratch off game, not to live a luxury lifestyle or travel the globe, but to finance a major crystal meth empire.
Ronnie Music Jr., 45, pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearms charges after being busted by the DEA and the ATF.
Music’s cohorts in the criminal drug ring were nabbed when they tried to sell 11 pounds of crystal meth worth about $500,000 in September 2015. They then fingered Music as their suppliers, federal prosecutors stated.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Music appropriate a large percentage of his lottery earnings to buy the meth so he could resell it. During the bust, federal agents seized more than $1 million in meth along with guns, ammunition, vehicles and $600,000 in cash.
“Music decided to test his luck by sinking millions of dollars of lottery winnings into the purchase and sale of crystal meth,” said U.S. Attorney Ed Tarver.
Tarver said the “unsound investment strategy” could result in a life sentence instead of a life of enviable riches.
Millionaire lottery winner builds crystal meth empire
