‘White Boy Rick’ released from prison
Richard Wershe Jr., a former drug dealer and FBI informant who was the inspiration for the film “White Boy Rick,” was released Monday, the first time he’s been out of custody since he was a teenager.
Wershe, 51, was released from prison in Michigan in 2017 after serving nearly 30 years for a cocaine conviction but was re-routed to Florida to serve time for a car theft scheme he had been convicted of in the Sunshine State. He most recently was confined to a half-way house.
Wershe was nicknamed “White Boy Rick” and claimed to have been a law enforcement informant from the time he was 14 years old. He was arrested by Detroit police in 1987 when he was 17 after he was reportedly caught with 8 kilos of cocaine and about $30,000. That arrested led to a conviction and a possible life sentence. In 2017, he was granted parole in Michigan.
However he was sent to jail in Florida for racketeering charges he racked up after his cocaine arrest during a time he was working as an FBI informant to bust corrupt police officers. He took part in the car theft scheme while in the federal witness protection program.
Michigan Department of Corrections spokeswoman Holly Kramer told the Detroit Free Press that Wershe was under supervised release meaning he must stay in Michigan, look for a job, not possess a firearm and avoid all contact with individuals with a felony record. Otherwise he will go back to jail for violating parole.
Ralph Musilli, Wershe’s attorney, told the Free Press that his client was returning to Michigan with a good support network in place.
A movie based on Wershe’s life starring Richie Merritt, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bruce Dern and others was released in 2018.
With Wire News Services
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