Rick Wershe Jr. as a teen and today.
Richard "White Boy Rick" Wershe Jr.'s dream for decades now has been to be set free. He's been behind bars for nearly 28 years, having been sentenced to life in prison while he was a teen for drug trafficking.
Later this month, that dream could come true. Wayne County Circuit Judge Dana M. Hathaway granted his motion Friday to be resentenced. She could very possibly sentence him to time served on Sept. 18., allowing him to walk.
But freedom may present its own set of new problems.
Over the years, Wershe, now 46, cooperated with federal agents and local police and helped put away some crooked cops and some pretty bad drug dealers. Some of those drug dealers are out of prison and may want revenge.
Nate Miller, who says he was a former member of the infamous drug Detroit drug gang of decades ago, YBI, Young Boys Incorporated, was outside the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice courthouse after the hearing for Wershe on Friday. He said he showed up late and missed it. He said he knew Wershe back in the day, and was curious.
Miller said he served some time in prison. He says Wershe wasn't responsible for putting him behind bars, but he says Wershe did help authorities put other dealers in prison,and some of those folks are back on the street.
I asked him if Wershe should have reason to be concerned.
"I believe it's something he should be concerned about it," he said.
Wershe's attorney, Ralph Musilli, told Deadline Detroit: "Everybody who Rick helped the government put away, they're all out."
Musilli said that he's had conversations with his client about the dangers he could face on the outside. In the inside, at the Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee, Musilli said Wershe is in isolation from other prisoners because of his cooperation over the years.
"I have discussed this with Rick," he said about the possibility of Wershe finally getting out and being on the outside. "I've said, 'You know your life is in danger.' He said, 'What life? I'm living in a 8-by-10 foot cell. He said 'I'll take my chances.'"
Musilli said he probably needs to revisit that conversation again.
"What we may want to do is get him out of Michigan, wherever would be a good place for him."
Wershe also has another issue hanging over his head if he gets a break during the resentencing.
In 2005. Florida authorities charged him with being part of an auto-theft ring while Wershe was in prison there in the witness-protection program. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years. Wershe told me in a phone interview in September 2013 the he simply made an introduction to a fellow inmate’s son to a legitimate car dealer who ended up dealing in stolen cars. He says he did nothing wrong, and only pleaded guilty because authorities threatened to charge his sister and mother, who had bought a car that ended up being stolen.
“I feel like an idiot. I should have never pled,” he said. As result of that, Wershe was kicked out of the witness protection program.
The five-year sentence is supposed to be served after he finishes his Michigan sentence.
Musilli said he's working to see if the state of Florida will give Wershe time served, rather than deal with extradition and paying to keep him in a Florida prison.
"Right now I"m pushing every button, " Musilli said. "I'd really like to see him walk."
