Ricky Ross (drug trafficker)
Encyclopedia
Ricky Donnell Ross also known as "Freeway" Rick Ross, is a convicted drug trafficker best known for the "drug empire" that he presided over in Los Angeles, California
, in the early-1980s. The nickname "Freeway" came from Ross's ownership of several properties along the Los Angeles-area Harbor Freeway as well as the existence of a freeway near his childhood home. During the height of his drug dealing, Ross claims to have made "$3 million in one day."
In 1996, Ross was sentenced to life imprisonment
after being convicted of trying to purchase more than 100 kilogram
s of cocaine from a federal agent. Ross became the subject of controversy later that year when a series of articles by journalist Gary Webb
in the San Jose Mercury News
brought to light a connection between one of Ross's cocaine sources, Danilo Blandon, and the CIA
as part of the Iran-Contra scandal. The decision in Ross's case was brought to a federal
court of appeals
where his sentence was reduced to 20 years. His sentence has since been reduced further for being a model prisoner and he was moved to a halfway house
in California in March 2009, and was released on September 29, 2009.
n cocaine: two Nicaraguan exiles, Oscar Danilo Blandon
and Norwin Meneses Cantarero. Ross began distributing the cocaine around US$10,000 less per kilo than the average street price, his point of distribution being the Bloods
and Crips
street gangs. Eventually, Ross purchased his cocaine directly from Blandón and Meneses. By 1982, Ross had received his moniker of "Freeway Ricky," and is claimed to have been selling up to US$3 million worth of cocaine per day—and purchasing 455 kilos of cocaine a week.
In addition to cocaine, Ross was also able to purchase surveillance
equipment, such as minicameras and recording equipment. Some of the gang members that worked for him bought weapons ranging from Uzi submachine gun
s to semi-automatic pistols to fight rivals, and they also bought expensive jewelry and flashy cars. Rick Ross was also best friends with Johnathan Williams and rap group Swag Blanket.
, New Orleans
, Texas
, Kansas City
, Oklahoma
, Indiana
, Cincinnati
, North Carolina
, South Carolina
, Baltimore, Cleveland
, and Seattle
. He has said many times that his most lucrative sales came from the Ohio
area. He made similar claims in a 1996 PBS interview. According to the Oakland Tribune, "In the course of his rise, prosecutors estimate that Ross exported several tons of cocaine to New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and made more than $600 million in the process." Adjusting for inflation using the Consumer Price Index, that is more than 1.6 Billion Dollars.
, who "set up" Ross. Blandón had close ties with the Contras
, and had met with Contra leader Enrique Bermúdez
on several occasions. Blandón was the link between the CIA
and Contras during the Iran-Contra affair
. Gary Webb
interviewed Ross several times before breaking the story in 1996. Ross claims that the reason he was unfairly tried initially was because of his involvement in the scandal. Blandón received a 24-month sentence for his drug trafficking charges, and following his release, was hired by the Drug Enforcement Administration
where he was salaried at US$42,000. Blandón was not a U.S. citizen/national, and is the only known foreigner not to be deported following conviction on drug trafficking charges in U.S. history. The INS was ordered to grant Blandón a green card, despite the criminal convictions, to allow him to work for the DEA. The DEA claims that they no longer employ Blandón, and his whereabouts are unknown.
(real name William L. Roberts) for using his name. Freeway Ricky Ross filed a copyright infringement
lawsuit
against Ross in a California Federal Court. Jay-Z
had been called to testify in the lawsuit, as he was CEO of Def Jam when Ross was signed. The reformed drug kingpin was looking for $10 million in compensation in the lawsuit.
Also, the release of rapper Rick Ross' album, Teflon Don
, was threatened to be blocked by Freeway Ricky Ross. A week after the lawsuit was filed, rapper Rick Ross responded to the charges: "It’s like owning a restaurant, you’re gonna have a few slip and falls. You get lawsuits, you deal with them, and get them out of your way ... sometimes you lose." He then denied rumors that he would change his name to "Ricky Rozay" as a consequence of the lawsuit.
After the lawsuit was dismissed on July 3, 2010, the album, Teflon Don, was released on July 20, 2010, as scheduled. The federal judge ruled that the case should be refiled in California state court as the case was a matter for California state law. Ross has since refiled the case with the state of California and the federal case is on appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
.
's documentary, American Drug War: The Last White Hope
. The second episode of the first season of BET
's American Gangster
documentary series was focused on the story of Ricky Ross and his connection to the Iran-Contra scandal. While in Texarkana prison, Ricky Ross became the first federal inmate to create a social networking website. Ross is played by actor Glenn Plummer
in the film, 100 Kilos. Ross was recently featured in VH1's critically acclaimed Planet Rock History of Crack and Hip Hop Documentary. The documentary was a look into the interconnection between top hip hop talents such as Jay Z, Snoop and Wu Tang and the growth of the Crack Epidemic. Freeway Rick Ross was an integral part of the show, along with the prior listed talents.
In the song "My Favorite Mutiny" by The Coup
, rapper Boots claims the Central Intelligence Agency
directed Ross to distribute crack: "before the CIA told Ricky Ross to put crack in the sack." The song "Mathematics" by Mos Def
contains a reference to the link between Ross and the CIA: "Nearly half of America's largest cities is one-quarter black/ That's why they gave Ricky Ross all the crack." In the Murs song "The Science" (from his 2008 release Murs for President
) the rapper says "...and they gave us dope (Crack)/From the CIA by the way of Nicaragua/Shipped to Rick Ross/He's the Black Godfather." He continues to rap about conspiracies surrounding the CIA's dealings with Ross throughout the song.
American rapper Rick Ross
acquired his moniker from Ross, and rapper Freeway
took his nickname from him.
In 2011 He Launch An Entertainment Company With Film Producer Of Snbn DVD (Clock Da Vigga) Called "Young Freeway Nation"
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, in the early-1980s. The nickname "Freeway" came from Ross's ownership of several properties along the Los Angeles-area Harbor Freeway as well as the existence of a freeway near his childhood home. During the height of his drug dealing, Ross claims to have made "$3 million in one day."
In 1996, Ross was sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
after being convicted of trying to purchase more than 100 kilogram
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
s of cocaine from a federal agent. Ross became the subject of controversy later that year when a series of articles by journalist Gary Webb
Gary Webb
Gary Webb was a Pulitzer prize-winning American investigative journalist.Webb was best known for his 1996 "Dark Alliance" series of articles written for the San Jose Mercury News and later published as a book...
in the San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News
The San Jose Mercury News is a daily newspaper in San Jose, California. On its web site, however, it calls itself Silicon Valley Mercury News. The paper is owned by MediaNews Group...
brought to light a connection between one of Ross's cocaine sources, Danilo Blandon, and the CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
as part of the Iran-Contra scandal. The decision in Ross's case was brought to a federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
court of appeals
Court of Appeals
A court of appeals is an appellate court generally.Court of Appeals may refer to:*Military Court of Appeals *Corte d'Assise d'Appello *Philippine Court of Appeals*High Court of Appeals of Turkey*United States courts of appeals...
where his sentence was reduced to 20 years. His sentence has since been reduced further for being a model prisoner and he was moved to a halfway house
Halfway house
The purpose of a halfway house, also called a recovery house or sober house, is generally to allow people to begin the process of reintegration with society, while still providing monitoring and support; this is generally believed to reduce the risk of recidivism or relapse when compared to a...
in California in March 2009, and was released on September 29, 2009.
Cocaine introduction
It was through Fraser Brown, a college friend, that Ross was introduced to cocaine. Through Fraser, Ross found a connection to purchase cheap NicaraguaNicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
n cocaine: two Nicaraguan exiles, Oscar Danilo Blandon
Oscar Danilo Blandon
Oscar Danilo Blandón Reyes headed Nicaragua's agricultural imports under Anastasio Somoza. He has a master's degree in marketing. When the Somoza government was overthrown in 1979, Blandón fled to the United States, and then raised money for the Nicaraguan Democratic Force , a Contra group...
and Norwin Meneses Cantarero. Ross began distributing the cocaine around US$10,000 less per kilo than the average street price, his point of distribution being the Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
and Crips
Crips
The Crips are a primarily, but not exclusively, African American gang. They were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969 mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams...
street gangs. Eventually, Ross purchased his cocaine directly from Blandón and Meneses. By 1982, Ross had received his moniker of "Freeway Ricky," and is claimed to have been selling up to US$3 million worth of cocaine per day—and purchasing 455 kilos of cocaine a week.
In addition to cocaine, Ross was also able to purchase surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
equipment, such as minicameras and recording equipment. Some of the gang members that worked for him bought weapons ranging from Uzi submachine gun
Uzi submachine gun
The Uzi is a family of Israeli open bolt, blowback-operated submachine guns. Smaller variants are considered to be machine pistols. The Uzi was one of the first weapons to use a telescoping bolt design which allows for the magazine to be housed in the pistol grip for a shorter weapon.The first Uzi...
s to semi-automatic pistols to fight rivals, and they also bought expensive jewelry and flashy cars. Rick Ross was also best friends with Johnathan Williams and rap group Swag Blanket.
Drug empire
With thousands of employees, Ross claimed he operated drug sales not only in Los Angeles but in places across the country including St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Baltimore, Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, and Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. He has said many times that his most lucrative sales came from the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
area. He made similar claims in a 1996 PBS interview. According to the Oakland Tribune, "In the course of his rise, prosecutors estimate that Ross exported several tons of cocaine to New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and made more than $600 million in the process." Adjusting for inflation using the Consumer Price Index, that is more than 1.6 Billion Dollars.
Iran-Contra involvement
Ross's capture was facilitated by his career-long dealer Oscar Danilo BlandonOscar Danilo Blandon
Oscar Danilo Blandón Reyes headed Nicaragua's agricultural imports under Anastasio Somoza. He has a master's degree in marketing. When the Somoza government was overthrown in 1979, Blandón fled to the United States, and then raised money for the Nicaraguan Democratic Force , a Contra group...
, who "set up" Ross. Blandón had close ties with the Contras
Contras
The contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua's FSLN Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle's dictatorship...
, and had met with Contra leader Enrique Bermúdez
Enrique Bermúdez
Enrique Bermúdez Varela was a Nicaraguan who founded and commanded the Nicaraguan Contras. In this capacity, he became a central global figure in one of the most prominent conflicts of the Cold War....
on several occasions. Blandón was the link between the CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
and Contras during the Iran-Contra affair
Iran-Contra Affair
The Iran–Contra affair , also referred to as Irangate, Contragate or Iran-Contra-Gate, was a political scandal in the United States that came to light in November 1986. During the Reagan administration, senior Reagan administration officials and President Reagan secretly facilitated the sale of...
. Gary Webb
Gary Webb
Gary Webb was a Pulitzer prize-winning American investigative journalist.Webb was best known for his 1996 "Dark Alliance" series of articles written for the San Jose Mercury News and later published as a book...
interviewed Ross several times before breaking the story in 1996. Ross claims that the reason he was unfairly tried initially was because of his involvement in the scandal. Blandón received a 24-month sentence for his drug trafficking charges, and following his release, was hired by the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
where he was salaried at US$42,000. Blandón was not a U.S. citizen/national, and is the only known foreigner not to be deported following conviction on drug trafficking charges in U.S. history. The INS was ordered to grant Blandón a green card, despite the criminal convictions, to allow him to work for the DEA. The DEA claims that they no longer employ Blandón, and his whereabouts are unknown.
Lawsuit against rapper, Rick Ross
On June 18, 2010, Ross sued rapper Rick RossRick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
(real name William L. Roberts) for using his name. Freeway Ricky Ross filed a copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against Ross in a California Federal Court. Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
had been called to testify in the lawsuit, as he was CEO of Def Jam when Ross was signed. The reformed drug kingpin was looking for $10 million in compensation in the lawsuit.
Also, the release of rapper Rick Ross' album, Teflon Don
Teflon Don (album)
Teflon Don is the fourth studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released July 20, 2010 on Maybach Music Group and Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album took place during 2009 to 2010 and was handled by several record producers, including Clark Kent, No I.D., The Olympicks, J.U.S.T.I.C.E...
, was threatened to be blocked by Freeway Ricky Ross. A week after the lawsuit was filed, rapper Rick Ross responded to the charges: "It’s like owning a restaurant, you’re gonna have a few slip and falls. You get lawsuits, you deal with them, and get them out of your way ... sometimes you lose." He then denied rumors that he would change his name to "Ricky Rozay" as a consequence of the lawsuit.
After the lawsuit was dismissed on July 3, 2010, the album, Teflon Don, was released on July 20, 2010, as scheduled. The federal judge ruled that the case should be refiled in California state court as the case was a matter for California state law. Ross has since refiled the case with the state of California and the federal case is on appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
.
In popular culture
Ross was a key figure in filmmaker Kevin BoothKevin Booth
Kevin Booth is an American film and video director, producer, and musician. He is best known for his work with comedian Bill Hicks, who was the subject of his book Agent of Evolution, published by Harper Collins UK. Hicks and Booth knew each other since their time together at Stratford High School...
's documentary, American Drug War: The Last White Hope
American Drug War: The Last White Hope
American Drug War: The Last White Hope is a 2007 documentary by writer/director Kevin Booth about the War on Drugs in the United States.- Synopsis :The film states the War on Drugs has become one of the longest and most costly wars in American history...
. The second episode of the first season of BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's American Gangster
American Gangster (TV series)
American Gangster is a documentary television series, which airs on BET. The show features some of black America's most infamous and powerful gangsters. It is narrated by Ving Rhames. The series premiered on November 28, 2006, with this episode amassing around one million viewers. The first season...
documentary series was focused on the story of Ricky Ross and his connection to the Iran-Contra scandal. While in Texarkana prison, Ricky Ross became the first federal inmate to create a social networking website. Ross is played by actor Glenn Plummer
Glenn Plummer
Glenn E. Plummer is an American film and television actor.Plummer was born in Richmond, California. He has appeared in numerous films and television series, primarily in supporting roles or small bit parts, such as High Top in Colors. His prominent roles came in the films Menace II Society, Speed,...
in the film, 100 Kilos. Ross was recently featured in VH1's critically acclaimed Planet Rock History of Crack and Hip Hop Documentary. The documentary was a look into the interconnection between top hip hop talents such as Jay Z, Snoop and Wu Tang and the growth of the Crack Epidemic. Freeway Rick Ross was an integral part of the show, along with the prior listed talents.
In the song "My Favorite Mutiny" by The Coup
The Coup
The Coup is a political hip hop group based in Oakland, California. It formed as a three-member group in 1992 with emcees Raymond "Boots" Riley and E-Roc along with DJ Pam the Funkstress. E-Roc left on amicable terms after the group's second album but appears on the track "Breathing Apparatus" on...
, rapper Boots claims the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
directed Ross to distribute crack: "before the CIA told Ricky Ross to put crack in the sack." The song "Mathematics" by Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
contains a reference to the link between Ross and the CIA: "Nearly half of America's largest cities is one-quarter black/ That's why they gave Ricky Ross all the crack." In the Murs song "The Science" (from his 2008 release Murs for President
Murs for President
- Additional credits :- Charts :- Music videos :* Better Than the Best* Lookin' Fly* Can It Be * Me and This Jawn* A Part of Me* Break Up * The Science* Road Is My Religion- MURS Administration :...
) the rapper says "...and they gave us dope (Crack)/From the CIA by the way of Nicaragua/Shipped to Rick Ross/He's the Black Godfather." He continues to rap about conspiracies surrounding the CIA's dealings with Ross throughout the song.
American rapper Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
acquired his moniker from Ross, and rapper Freeway
Freeway (rapper)
Leslie Edward Pridgen , better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Best known for his tenure on Roc-A-Fella Records and his affiliation with Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, he is recognized by his high-pitched delivery and for the long beard he keeps due to his Muslim faith...
took his nickname from him.
In 2011 He Launch An Entertainment Company With Film Producer Of Snbn DVD (Clock Da Vigga) Called "Young Freeway Nation"
External links
- Freewayrick.com Rick Ross's Home Page
- Freewayenterprise.com Rick Ross's Social Media Site
- Jimmy DaSaint and Freeway Ricky Ross's Book Black Scarface
- AmericanDrugWar.com AmericanDrugWar.com
- Profile on the show American GangsterAmerican Gangster (TV series)American Gangster is a documentary television series, which airs on BET. The show features some of black America's most infamous and powerful gangsters. It is narrated by Ving Rhames. The series premiered on November 28, 2006, with this episode amassing around one million viewers. The first season...
- "American Gangster: Ricky Ross & the Crack Connection" by Alan Kurtz (subversiveTV)
- Freeway Ricky Ross Timeline - November 2, 2006 Streetgangs.com
- How John Kerry exposed the Contra-cocaine scandal – Salon
- The CIA-Contra-Crack Cocaine Controversy: A Review of the Justice Department's Investigations and Prosecutions – U.S. Department of Justice
- [Interviewed on Vocalo.org] http://vocalo.org/explore/content/54043
- [Interviewed on latalkradio.com] http://www.latalkradio.com/images/Grand-050610.mp3
- Interview with Freeway Ricky Ross by Dominic Streatfeild