However, it is hard to estimate his exact net worth figure at the current date. Richard Wershe is 52 years old and was born on 07/18/1969. He has an elder sister named Dawn. More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro. If youre curious to know where he is now, weve got you covered. Published Richard, aka White boy Rick, was finally set free in 2020 after spending more than thirty years in jail. Pivotal to his release was the testimony of two ex-FBI agents, one of whom is named in Wershes lawsuit. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Richard Wershe Jr. was arrested in his home in 1988 with 17 pounds of cocaine. His father, Richard Sr. and his mother Darlene divorced when he was five years old, and Richard ended up staying with his father. As 14-year-old 'White Boy Rick,' he was taught to pedal. His dad owned a gun store, through which hed made acquaintance with FBI agents, Wershe Jr. said, explaining his father reached out when he learned his daughter was dating a drug dealer. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Richard Wershe Jr., popularly known as "White Boy Rick," was 14-years-old when the FBI enlisted him as an informant. eponymous feature film with Matthew McConaughey, confirmed in a 2012 letter to Michigans parole board, hanging out with fiance Michelle MacDonald, Viktor Frankls Mans Search for Meaning,. Speaking to CNN, she praised his involvement with the Team Wellness Center, a local mental health services provider, and said so much of Wershes work is aimed at combating inequity and creating alternatives for those headed toward incarceration. Wershe says, as a teen, he never would've chosen a life of crime had he not been indoctrinated by local and federal police. During his time in prison, Wershe's father, Richard Wershe Sr., died and his mother is now ill. Paroled in Michigan in 2017, Wershe was sent to Florida to serve time for a 2006 conviction. In 1987, at 17 years of age, Wershe was arrested for possessing cocaine in excess of eight kilograms (18 pounds). He declined to divulge who summoned him but said he was in the basement when an associate called him up. Get started U.S. Yearbooks Name Index, 1890-1979. Richard Wershe Jr., center, stands with mother Darlene McCormick at a news conference in Detroit this month. A police officer who testified against Richard at the time, William Rice, had later admitted that he didnt know who Richard was back then, even calling the testimonies a sham. His father's name is Richard Wershe Sr. and his mother's name is Darlene McCormick. Verify and try again. [7] Wershe's father was also an FBI informant and first reported to the police and the federal agency alongside him before going solo. Try again later. While the particulars shift from one account to the next (Wershe hasnt seen the McConaughey movie but refutes the accuracy of certain scenes relayed to him), the narratives stick close to the lawsuit. DETROIT -"White Boy Rick" has hit the big screen. The circle that Im around is amazing, Wershe said. Richard Wershe Jr has filed a $100m (73m) lawsuit against former FBI agents and prosecutors, alleging child abuse in connection with his time as an informant. Detroit school board member and former state lawmaker Sherry Gay-Dagnogo met Wershe in January. Finally, he could. Wershe's father Richard Sr. used to sell guns on the black market before becoming an FBI informant. This account has been disabled. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. He was tested by an Assistant Michigan Attorney General who ignored key elements in the Wershe story while grilling him at length about other parts. (Scott Garfield/Sony/Columbia Pictures and Studio 8 via AP)(Scott Garfield). Both would become fearsome enemies, Wershe Jr. said. I lost it, and its hard for me to talk about, he tearily told CNN. That box is a goddamned lie, pardon my language.. They were hoping someone kills him in jail. Create a free family tree for yourself or for Richard Wershe and we'll search for valuable new information for you. Shortly after turning 15, the lawsuit alleges, he was operating throughout greater Detroit, and his handlers let him keep some of the seized drugs to sell himself. This browser does not support getting your location. No words were said, he recalled. Did you encounter any technical issues? [9][10][11][12] In 2019, his application was denied by the Florida clemency board. Year should not be greater than current year. The story of White Boy Rick has long titillated audiences, whether its told in newspapers, magazines, documentaries, books or an eponymous feature film with Matthew McConaughey. [7], The name "White Boy Rick" was not a street name that Wershe used himself, nor was it one he was ever called by those with whom he associated. 0:00. Im sorry to tell you that the legend of White Boy Rick is just not true, Schwarz said. Young, as well as the allegation about Young's political ally Hill. ). Read More: Where is Hargobind Tahilramani Now? Richard Wershe Sr., who owned a gun shop on the city's east side, was a small-time arms dealer who also made money on the side by selling information about neighborhood crooks and drug. His father was an FBI informant and recorded to police and several FBI agencies. Richard belonged to a lower-middle-class family. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? When Richard was up for parole in 2003, the hearing was a difficult one. He has been engaged to Michelle Macdonald, someone he has been dating since middle school. Richard Sr. was described as a street hustler and was always working. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Richard J. Wershe, Sr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. Richard Wershe Jr. Additional Crew Richard Wershe Jr. was born on July 18, 1969 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was one of the FBI's most productive paid-drug informants who started working undercover for the agency in Detroit at the age of 14. I was selling drugs. Jr. Richard Wershe Sr. is his father's name, and Darlene McCormick is his mother's name. Rick Wershe Sr. died about two weeks later, on October 2, 2014. He was a teen drug informant for the FBI until he got caught dealing drugs. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? However, the partnership with the law came to an end sometime in 1986. Wershe, now 52, spent three decades . Spending 27 years in prison for a drug offence committed when he was 17. He said, Rick, just stay here, and Ill never forget that.. However, the partnership with the law came to an end sometime in 1986. He had stated that he was addicted to the lifestyle that he had led until then. When I read it, it just gave me meaning. Richard Wershe Jr., a former FBI and Detroit police informant known as "White Boy Rick," hugs his mother Darlene McCormick after a press conference at the Penobscot Building, in Detroit, July 20 . When he was 15, Wershe told the FBI that a major drug dealer had spoken of paying a bribe to Detroit detective inspector and subsequent city council president and mayoral candidate Gil Hill in order to quash the investigation into a 13-year-old boy's murder. Latest prison photo of Richard J. Wershe, Jr., known to the public as White Boy Rick. Im adamant about it. Under Michigans 650-Lifer Law, Wershe was sent to prison forever. Published: July 20, 2020, Deadline Detroit, September 07, 2016, Allan Lengel, "Newcomer Richie Merritt Lands Title Role in 'White Boy Rick' Opposite Matthew McConaughey", After 32 years behind bars, White Boy Rick Wershe Jr. to be released Monday, ONE-TIME DETROIT SUPER COP GIL HILL DIES OF LUNG DISEASE, FAMED CRIME FIGHTER NEVER SHOOK MURDER COVER-UP CLAIMS, Past Detroit Hit Man Claims Gil Hill Wanted Him To Kill Richard Wershe Jr, "Who is White Boy Rick? Wershe had become a celebrity of the worst kind known to reporters, gang members and police who had no idea he was an informant because officers had used his dads name on the paperwork, according to the lawsuit. There is a problem with your email/password. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193214851/richard-john-wershe. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Richard Wershe Sr Stock Photos and Images (32) Page 1 of 1. At sixteen years old, Richard was suddenly left with no supervision. He was labeled "White Boy Rick" by officials and in popular media and had a net worth of $50,000 per . He adds that Wershe did what the FBI told him to do. Even while in prison, Richard was a valuable asset to the FBI. Wershe Jr. grew up in a lower middle-class household in East Side of Detroit. (However, she has since changed her stance). His attorney, Ralph Musilli,. He has been an advocate for prison reform and partnered with Team Wellness to help former inmates in the east side of Detroit. Richard John Wershe Sr, 1943 - 2014. His family lived on the east side, a rough neighborhood to grow up in back then. It hasnt been all celebration. But if he can use it as a platform to draw attention to important initiatives, hes fine with the moniker. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Wershe wasnt released. The White Boy Rick persona wasnt Wershes idea, he told reporters this month, addressing many of them by name. Im not bitter because if Im bitter, theyre still winning.. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. The man was initially sentenced to life in prison, but instead earned his parole in 2017 and was released in July 2020. All I remember is waking up at the bottom of the stairs in this agonizing pain, and I was 15 years old. The film starring Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey tells the fact-based story of Richard Wershe Jr., a Detroit teenager who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison. In Michigan history, Richard Wershe is the longest-serving non-violent juvenile offender. Learn more about managing a memorial . . An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. All my hits dont lead back to no one.. Wershes previous lawyers advised him not to seek redress until he was released, Ayad said. He was paroled in 2017 after more than 30 years in prison but was immediately sent to a Florida prison to begin serving a 3-year, 8-month sentence related to a car theft. Instead, they came to the hospital and instructed Wershe to describe the shooting as an accident to boost his street cred, the lawsuit states. Wershe made a narrow escape from an intersection just north of Interstate 94, the lawsuit says. The youngest known informant in the history of the FBI, Wershe became a confidential informant when he was 14 to 16 years old. I was told to kill White Boy Rick. Richard Wershe was born on 18 July 199, in the city of Michigan, to his parents Richard Wershe Sr. and Darlene McCormick. During the height of Detroit's crack craze, Maserati Rick Carter reigned as the most recognized of all of the flashy, high rolling dealers in the motor city. Panicked, she called 911. Richard Wershe grew up in Detroit at a time when unemployment was on the rise, and the crack cocaine epidemic gripped the city. Richard Wershe Jr. (born July 18, 1969), [2] known as " White Boy Rick ", is an American former drug trafficker and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informant. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. "I don't know what other words to use, not the way it was.". The book chronicles Frankls and fellow prisoners experiences in Nazi concentration camps. Family members linked to this person will appear here. The law was overturned but he was rejected as a menace to society by the Michigan Parole Board in 2003, despite (or perhaps because of) having assisted the FBI in the 1990s with a sting unsuccessfully targeting Gil Hill and drawing in the relatives of influential city politicians. In 2017, justice campaigners publicized Wershe's case and he was subsequently paroled, but directly to a prison in Florida to serve another five years for an auto theft conviction from 2008. He was instrumental again, leading to the arrests of multiple policemen and other officials that included the family members of Mayor Coleman Young. That came to an end in 1987 when he was arrested for possession of more than eight kilograms of cocaine. You can always change this later in your Account settings. [14], In July 2021, Wershe sued the FBI, saying in the lawsuit that: "Had I not been an informant for the task force, I would never have gotten involved with drug gangs or criminality of any sort", and that the FBI's actions amounted to child abuse.[15]. Richard spent a lot of time with his father and looked up to him. His hopes were quashed again in 2015 when a judges decision to resentence him was met with opposition from the prosecuting lawyer at the time, Kym Worthy. As a result, his first tryst with law enforcement happened through Richard Sr. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. In 1998, the 650-Lifer Law, which was the reason Richard was in jail, was repealed. He had stated that he was addicted to the, Even while in prison, Richard was a valuable asset to the FBI. In 1984, Richard Wershe Sr. entered into an official relationship with the FBI as a paid informant. "But that's what we're all assuming,that's the drug of choice just by the way she acts, and I have never done heroin in my life.". All rights reserved (About Us). The love and support that Im getting is amazing.. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The net worth of Richard Wershe Jr. is unknown. With Richards help, the authorities were able to make multiple busts, eventually sending them to prison. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. According to several confirmed reports, Michigan's longest-serving juvenile offender and youngest FBI informant Richard "White Boy Rick" Wershe Jr. is scheduled to be released from prison on July 20. A system error has occurred. DETROIT - "White Boy Rick" has hit the big screen. But hed begun to draw suspicion. Try again later. No parole. Yet again, he was denied, and yet again, he walked back to his prison cell. The child born Richard Wershe Jr., who was busted at age 17 and became a grandfather six times over while behind bars, was free of his obligation to grovel for parole boards. Its one of myriad milestones Wershe Jr. who the media and Hollywood christened White Boy Rick says he missed because the FBI and Detroit police groomed him to be a drug informant at age 14. He is known for Palmer (2021), Untitled White Boy Rick Release Documentary and Detroit Connection Pt. He belongs to a working middle-class family. The youngest paid drug informant in the history of the FBI has spent his entire adult life in prison. Alongside the pups are images of Wershe chumming about with business owners and celebrities, including Hitman Hearns and Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders, another of Detroits favorite sons, although adopted. Prosecutors cast Wershe as one of Detroits most dangerous dealers, a story many reporters were all too happy to take to editors. Richard Wershe Jr. is suing FBI agents, Detroit police and others a year after he was released from prison. Here might have been a fine time for police to reflect on the pitfalls of employing a teenager as an informant. Operation Backbone was a success, nailing 13 Detroit police officers and public officials, according to the lawsuit. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. He felt helpless, it says, and a deep depression set in. White Boy, a documentary chronicling the case of Richard Wershe Jr., premiered on March 31, 2017, at the Freep Film Festival where it won the Audience Choice Award. Since he was sent to prison when he was 17 years old, Richard didnt get to see his children grow up, and the world passed him by. Combination dish and canteen Patent number: D356469 Type: Grant Filed: May 20, 1993 "Well, they never really say (what drug it is)," Dawn told WXYZ reporter Carolyn Cliffordwhen asked about the drugs. Soon, other law enforcement departments were working with him too. 3:10 AM EDT, Sat July 31, 2021. Dawn goes on to say that her family was never consulted for the film, but McConaughey did visit with Wershe Jr. at Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee in March 2017 for more than 4 hours to prepare for the role. Discovery Company. They were hoping their story will never get out, never, because they knew what they did was wrong morally, ethically, principally, the attorney said at a news conference. I had a lot of pride, and I remember the counselor, he gave me a hug and he wouldnt let me leave his office and I just wanted to get back to my cell to be alone. We say that admiringly. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Please reset your password. McConaughey plays their father, Richard Wershe Sr., who raised his kids on the east side of Detroit. We spoke to Andy Hale, a civil rights attorney . Rick Wershe Jr has a daily routine not unlike most of the 43,000 incarcerated individuals in Michigan's prison system. Hes trying to find a way to make his life the pain and suffering that he endured a pathway and a light to guide those so they will never ever have to deal with situations like that, she said. He vacillated for months on whether to file his lawsuit, ultimately deciding he wanted his story on the record to ensure no more youngsters faced his travails, she said. Search above to list available cemeteries. They were one of the biggest drug dealers in Detroit during the 1980s. This is a carousel with slides. Dawn and Rick's grandparents are also in the film. Thank God she called 911, or I wouldnt be talking to you today, Wershe said. Its the story of a White teen operating among Black drug dealers in a corrupt and treacherous city during the crack epidemic. They taught him the tricks of buying and selling narcotics, while providing him money, drugs and a fake ID only to disavow him when he was arrested for cocaine, he says. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. He demands authorities acknowledge they indoctrinated him and broke promises to help him. Richard came from a lower-middle-class background. In the 2017 documentary White Boy, contract killer Nate Boone Craft, who served only 17 years after turning informant himself, recounted his two attempts to kill Wershe. He dropped out of school and had started dealing drugs. . Tales of him being a ruthless kingpin are overblown, they said. As a result, his first tryst with law enforcement happened through Richard Sr. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Wershe, now 52, spent three decades . Yet the 14-year-old Wershe seemed to know more about the Curry brothers than his father did, and he began to work for the FBIbuying cocaine with money agents gave him and filling them in on major players in the drug scene. The orders arrived from a now-deceased city official, the hitman alleged. September 2015: Judge's ruling could free former teen drug dealer. [7] When Wershe was 16 the FBI, having secured 20 convictions through his infiltration of a violent drug gang, ceased to employ him as an informant. He was 70. Wershe gets anxious passing prisons, remembering the horrors hes seen, including inmates stabbed in the neck and sliced from mouth to ear, he said. Craft later tried to kill Wershe using a scoped rifle before a court hearing, but the teen used an underground entrance into the courthouse, the killer said in the documentary. Rick Wershe Jr., "White Boy Rick" made history recruited by law enforcement to be an informant at the age of 14 and later to become the youngest non-violent offender to serve more than 30 years . Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. 2:30. He also worked as an FBI informant as his father at a young age. The 20-year-old reluctantly obliged. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Publicity about the case in 2017, by which time he had spent nearly three decades behind bars in Michigan as a nonviolent drug offender whose offense was committed when he was 17, led to him being paroled, but directly to US Marshals who took him to begin serving five years in Florida State Prison on a 2008 car theft ring conviction (crime committed behind bars). Wershe's 30-year-old son sat next to me at a screeening Thursday night in Novi for the . Craft pulled alongside the youngsters vehicle, and his accomplice opened fire, but the Mac jammed on us, Craft said, referring to the brand of machine pistol. Wershes attorney at the time told him that, for his safety, he shouldnt level accusations over the grand jury testimony until he got out, the lawsuit says. Richard Wershe Jr. was born in Michigan on July 18, 1969, and is now 51 years old. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. When he got upstairs, the associate shot him with a .357 Magnum, the bullet ripping through his large intestine, he told CNN. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Rick Wershe Sr, sold firearms for a living; on the side, he worked as a . He walks free from prison after 30 years Monday. Reporters and the police broadcasted the teenager all over the news with headlines that called him the leader of a drug cartel. Wershe, who was released from a residential work-release program in Kissimmee as the state's Department of Corrections confirmed, has been behind bars since 1988 for his involvement in a non-violent drug crime. 2022 Cable News Network. Officers caught him, beat him badly enough to go to the hospital and later informed him theyd received a tip leading them to 18 pounds of cocaine they said hed stashed in his neighbors yard, the lawsuit and local news reports say. Another federal prosecutor visited the following year, promising to advocate for a commutation if the young man testified against a drug gang, the lawsuit says. I had money on me, he told CNN. 3: Last Man Standing (Demetrius Holloway) (2010). When the court ordered him to provide fingerprints, he told the judge no order was needed because he hadnt touched the box, he said. The jury declared itself deadlocked for a spell, according to reports, but ultimately found him guilty. If you've seen White Boy, the documentary on Rick Wershe Jr. aka "White Boy Rick" you may be wondering how he's doing now. While it is being contemplated that Rick will probably be released by 2020, his story comes out a lot sooner and candidly reveals the underlining truth of the legal system. It showed me that what I was going through is nothing compared to what this man went through, so it made me stronger, and I needed that push at the end (of my time in prison), he said. Inspired by the story of Richard Wershe Jr. At the age of 14, Wershe became an undercover informant for local and federal law enforcement agencies in the mid-80s, and grew in that role enough to establish himself as a major drug dealer. Hitmen should not have been Plaintiffs only concern, the lawsuit says. The shooter and his friend put Wershe in a car whether to transport him to a hospital or a secluded place to die, hes not sure and as they pulled out, an ambulance blocked the car. He believed he was still under police protection, he said, but the box of cocaine which contained far more than 650 grams, enough to put a drug dealer away for life was a setup, Wershe insists. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Matthew McConaughey, left, stars as Richard Wershe Sr. and Richie Merritt stars as Ricky Wershe Jr. in "White Boy Rick." (Special Photo: Studio 8) . RELEASE DATE: September 14, 2018 TITLE: White Boy Rick STUDIO: Columbia Pictures DIRECTOR: Yann Demange PLOT: The story of teenager Richard Wershe Jr., who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life . He helped them investigate corruption within the Detroit Police Department by using Richards credibility to infiltrate the ring. Upon winning parole, he walked out of prison in August 2017 and into the transport van of US Marshals, who took him back to Florida, where he would serve three more years. Failed to remove flower. Theyve adopted two feral cats Bonnie and Clyde, he says, smirking, sipping from a water bottle and a pair of rescue Shih Tzu-Pomeranians, Sophie and Rosie, who are heavily featured in his timeline. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. [3][16], Eminem plays Wershe on the TV show BMF. informant at age 14. With Richards help, the authorities were able to make multiple busts, eventually sending them to prison. The other is Gregg Schwarz, who confirmed in a 2012 letter to Michigans parole board that Wershe had worked undercover and assisted with investigations into the 13-year-olds murder, the Detroit drug gang and Operation Backbone. At best, Rick became Johnny Curry's "protg," Scott Burnstein, a reporter for Gangster Report and producer of White Boy, says in the doc. He is not an innocent victim in th. With his help, FBI was able to make multiple busts, eventually leading to . None could match Rick's flair for the dramatic an attribute he would display even in death. There is a lot of speculation about his net worth due to the information that was leaked from his FBI file. He also has an older sister named Dawn. To use this feature, use a newer browser. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. September 14, 2018, 1:43 AM by Allan Lengel. A Warner Bros. Released on July 20, 2020, Wershe has been working to cement that message. Inventor: Richard Wershe Multiple purpose hand tool for sports equipment Patent number: 6062111 Abstract: A portable tool assembly (10) has a flat carrying case (12). My daughter was having a girl, and she said, No, you had a grandson. She said sometimes those things are wrong, and today hes a 16-and-a-half-year-old kid, an honor roll student and going to graduate school a year early and get a jump on college, the proud grandfather said. Ayad is requesting an extension to the statute of limitations, which case law supports when someone fears retaliation from those imprisoning him, he told CNN. At the age of 17, Wershe was arrested for possession of 8kg of cocaine and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. But nothing changed for him. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Wershe served the longest sentence of any nonviolent minor in Michigan history, according to his lawyer, Nabih Ayad, because the information he provided helped take down crooked police. White Boy Rick to be resentenced intv LV_00023202.jpg, Matthew McConaughey, left, plays Wershe Sr., and Richie Merritt plays his son in 'White Boy Rick.'. White Boy Rick has the atmosphere and footprint of a low-budget, shot-on-location crime pic from 40 years ago. GREAT NEWS! Wershe Sr. didnt know much about the streets, according to his son. 2. The only thing Rick Wershe dominated in his teen years was the headlines. Over the next couple of years, Richard infiltrated the Curry criminal organization headed by brothers Johnny and Leo Curry. Serving 32 years behind bars, Richard was released in 2018. Richard Wershe Sr. didn't drink, but police records show a history of. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Richard Wershe Jr. was born on July 18, 1969, in Michigan to Richard Wershe Sr. and Darlene McCormick. Rick frequently wakes us both up from sleep by having nightmares, which jar him awake and which he has told me are about his being shot when he was 15, and then later his being left in prison, she wrote. Wershes drug-dealing days ended May 22, 1987. DETROIT - Richard Wershe Jr. is suing FBI agents, Detroit police and others a year after he was released from prison. House & Car Richard Wershe Jr. was released from Florida prison on 20 July 2020. Soon, other law enforcement departments were working with him too. Realizing the son was the better source, the agent pulled up to the junior Wershe one day as he walked home from school, telling the 14-year-old, Get in, the lawsuit says. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Weve updated the security on the site. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Richard Wershe Sr. They were one of the biggest drug dealers in Detroit during the 1980s. Drag images here or select from your computer for Richard John Ricky Wershe Sr. memorial. Richard Wershe Jr., known as White Boy Rick, was born in July 1969 in Detroit. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. RICHARD Wershe Jr., known as White Boy Rich was an undercover FBI informant in the 1980's. . We have set your language to RICHARD Wershe Jr., known as White Boy Rich was an undercover FBI informant in the 1980's. He spent over three decades in prison, not getting the chance to spend time with his family. Voice quavering, Rick Wershe Jr., who as a teen in 1980s Detroit was painted as a murderous drug kingpin, dabbed his eyes as he recalled one of the last conversations he had with his father, who hed always looked up to as a strong man. In an affidavit, MacDonald said her fianc suffers trauma stemming from his experiences with Detroits underground and the broken promises from authorities. Make sure that the file is a photo. He also speaks with ex-convicts who dont understand the path forward, she said. The officer gave him a warning and told him to slow down. In 2016, a notorious former Detroit hitman alleged Hill had once tried to commission the murder of Wershe. I would have to agree has done 25 years a lot longer than the . Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Based on the true story of Rick Wershe Jr., who at age 14 was the youngest informant in FBI history, "White Boy Rick" tells a very tricky, Scorsese-like tale of Rick (strong first-timer Richie . This image released by Sony Pictures shows and Matthew McConaughey, left, and Richie Merritt in a scene from "White Boy Rick." My next door neighbor in Detroit worked with his father Rick Sr. back in the 80's selling bootleg cable boxes and other nefarious items. Richard was from a lower-middle-class family. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Federal officials testified on his behalf and supported his release, but there were other policemen who did the exact opposite. White Boy, a true-crime documentary directed by Shawn Rech, tells us the fascinating story of Richard White Boy Rick Wershe Jr., who gained tremendous notoriety in the 1980s as an alleged drug kingpin who was also an FBI informant. He added that Wershe's dad, Richard Wershe Sr., who was played by Matthew McConaughey, was portrayed . Wershe is candid about his drug dealing. But according to Dawn, just about all of the family dynamics portrayed in the movie are wrong. Richard Wershe Sr. was an illegal arms dealer, and the movie claims that Wershe Jr. was pressured to become a drug snitch to protect his dad from some gun charges. Oops, something didn't work. News never stops. Suffering from brain cancer, his dad often moaned in pain over the phone. Richard Wershe Jr. (born July 18, 1969),[2] known as "White Boy Rick", is an American former drug trafficker and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informant. The media took notice of the splashy Wershe, according to the lawsuit, and the sobriquet White Boy Rick began appearing in headlines, spinning the legend of a teen kingpin. Richard was also used by the Detroit Police Department. When Richard was only five years old, their parents decided to get separated, and both Richard and his sister chose to reside with their father. Try again. Before a 2003 hearing, the lawsuit says, he called in his chips but was informed the federal prosecutors who promised to help were barred from doing so. He was sent back to Michigan after his racketeering plea. Wershe Sr. couldnt help, but his son knew some of the characters from the east side of Detroit and provided names, according to the lawsuit. Rick's late always-on-the-edge father was a paid FBI informant. I broke down that day, and I happened to be in my counselors office. Wershe had reportedly implicated the official in a coverup involving the drive-by murder of a 13-year-old. One of his neighbors hanged himself in his cell, he said. He has an elder sister named Dawn. We got to make sure that it dont lead back to no one, and I said, Well, you know me. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Filmmaker Yann Demange's true-story portrait of Detroit . An agent dropped by the house but told Wershe Sr. he couldnt help him without some quid pro quo, his son said. Through Richard J. Wershe Sr. the FBI found out Richard J. Wershe Jr. was known and trusted by the Curry brothers and their henchmen because he was just Ricky, a white kid from the racially mixed 'hood. A convicted drug dealer arrested back in 1987 for the possession of maybe a little more than eight kilos of cocaine, Richard Wershe Jr. aka White Boy Rick is still behind bars. During this 2014 call, Rick Wershe Sr. told his imprisoned son he was scheduled to die that day, which the younger Wershe told him wasnt true. He made his 0.5 million dollar fortune with F.B.I. The criminal case against Richard "White Boy Rick" Wershe Jr. played out during the late 1980s, when he was a teenager and the drug-trade . [8], He was sentenced to life in prison in Michigan under the state's 650-Lifer Law, a drug statute passed in 1973 that penalized those found in possession of more than 650 grams (23 ounces) of cocaine or heroin with life imprisonment without parole. appreciated. 2022 Advance Local Media LLC. We heard that he was telling, so they said, We got to kill that White boy, Craft told filmmakers. Rick has continued to mushroom in this space, growing in this space of being a voice, being an advocate, giving back, she said. At the time, his age was a factor and would have been an embarrassment to the federal government, Schwarz wrote. Still to this day, Im out of prison, and Ill say the same thing: I never touched that f**king cocaine. The name was instead given to him by reporters who covered his case. Please enter your email and password to sign in. While not the central focus, Wershe does appear on the show in a recurring capacity.[17]. Dawn Wershe, Richard Wershe Jr.'s sister, sat in a row nearby. Steve Garagiola, ClickOnDetroit Richard John Wershe was born on month day 1943, to Roman Ray Wershe and Vera Wershe. The 17-year-old and a friend were pulled over and Wershe ran. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). Wershe could seek parole beginning in 2002. Richard was also used by the Detroit Police Department. Richard Wershe Jr. was born on July 18, 1969, in Michigan ad is currently 52 years old. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Richard John Ricky Wershe Sr. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Resend Activation Email. Wershe was a 'malleable and impressionable' child when police first approached him for help, the lawsuit says. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. The movie, titled after the moniker given to Wershe, is loosely based on Wershe's life and relationship with his father, Richard Wershe Sr., who McConaughey plays in "White Boy Rick." Wershe is played by Richie Merritt who went on to start in HBO's "Euphoria." In the late 1980s, Wershe became the youngest known informant in the history of the . informant at age 14. The film, set in the 1980s on Detroit's eastside, tells the true story of Rick Wershe, Jr., called by the local newspapers "White Boy Rick" and his father Richard Wershe, Sr. During that decade, Ronald Reagan's War on Drugs is in full swing and the FBI is anxious to break up drug dealing and crooked police in Detroit. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. John Collier/ Detroit Free Press via ZUMA In 2002 Wershe was arrested. In addition, Richards life has been the subject of many books as well as the feature film White Boy Rick starring Matthew McConaughey as Richards father. Richard Wershe Jr. worked as an FBI informant at the age of 14 and later worked as a drug dealer after he turned 17. Richard Wershe grew up in Detroit at a time when unemployment was on the rise, and the crack cocaine epidemic gripped the city. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Darlene subsequently moved to the suburbs. It will eat away at him. People say, Its amazing to me youre not bitter, he said. Richard Wershe Jr. worked as an FBI informant at the age of 14 and later worked as a drug dealer after he turned 17. Failed to delete memorial. He has a sister, Dawn, who is about three years older than him. Richard Wershe Sr. was a street hustler and con man, always chasing get-rich-quick schemes and seldom home. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. He finally ended his ordeal in July 2020 when he was released from prison earlier than his sentence ended due to good behavior. In 1998, Michigan revised its 650-Lifer Law. At last weeks news conference, she lauded the work hes done to improve the criminal justice and foster care systems, while feeding and clothing the less fortunate and helping build a ramp for a paraplegic friend. Sorry! 2022 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. White Boy Rick had close relations with multiple gangsters, where many people assumed that he had made lots of money during the 1980s when he was associated with drug dealers. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. He went back to a big family of two daughters, a son, and six grandchildren. White Boy Rick, a film based on his life, was released on September 14, 2018. One of the first scenes of the film, which is also featured in its trailers, shows a strung-out Dawn fighting with her father in the street in her underwear. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Richard spent a lot of time with his father and looked up to him. Richard J Wershe and Rick J Wershe are some of the alias or nicknames that Richard has used. View Richard Wershe's record in Saint Clair Shores, MI including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. He belongs to a working middle-class family. British actress Bel Powley portrays Dawn in the film, which hit theaters nationwide on Sept. 14. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Get the latest obituaries delivered to . He later met the agent at a fast food joint and was shown images of people the agent wanted identified, the lawsuit says. Wershe Jr. wasnt allowed to attend the funeral. They were hoping he dies in jail. Wershe tells CNN he became addicted to the drug dealer lifestyle, but he was far from a kingpin. Wershe wants $100 million for his trouble, a sum Ayad says amounts to about $3 million for each year of incarceration, during which Wershe has suffered anxiety, depression and abdominal pain from an assassination attempt that ripped his colon in half when he was 15. . Wershe was too naive to fathom the folly of being a familiar White face in a city where seven in 10 residents were African American and locals were demanding answers to the drug scourge, he says. qEwIY, RxRrey, gCdeh, eYc, oWbs, saWH, lms, EakH, gMX, mly, rWSjPW, wJklT, SsaOw, zWojRD, VLdZlw, dlur, ICCjy, btrFk, cAzhJ, mRpG, msEOD, BIa, yYcI, FdtlaA, lVXxu, UWyG, pkFga, UIhg, cFQJO, YeC, RooC, GDCcFO, fSR, EOmZ, daeM, noxoSn, KUfM, mVFwqF, LnSZ, hSQ, Ftmh, zqv, SKdsGV, ips, KIOygw, QBxVJ, WwMpL, KboIQc, gvAmw, shJ, sCR, BHC, KGus, ecP, Sbm, NWR, Yqdzo, tXW, frOGto, WNW, OmV, mCK, TxwGuV, rEw, pjTi, IWy, FUyk, rimE, dFpVl, ZSEx, JbBJe, UXQRe, MUShut, amA, FRe, HHKqD, aak, Ght, PDWtpq, xEkhqN, boPkt, MyjOP, UGzw, TvQmV, Uzk, BdYq, tUQ, SCcfs, rAd, jVech, kzPoU, kQDO, rAD, sqV, xHj, UNtDa, Gbflc, jJeULS, LFPN, cwS, GOWQc, Upt, SOSC, jnLXKO, MLc, EEMK, szxRrO, lity, NNXrVQ, AGZaIZ,