The Story of Boy George by Vince Evans in F.E.D.S. Magazine

  When you ask a teenager in their last year of high school what they want to be in life,  you would expect to hear answers like a Doctor,  a lawyer,  a  fireman etc. During the late 80's in the South Bronx, New York,  Morris highschool senior  George Rivera said he was going to be the biggest dope dealer ever,  and he did.  At the age of 19,  Boy George made criminal history by being the youngest person  to control the heroin  trade in the Bronx and East Harlem. He also managed to make government history  as being the youngest person to be indicted under the federal kingpin statute at the age of 21. After him and his close freind Ward Johnson got their hands on a hundred grams of raw heroin,  it only took him a little more than a week to go from George Rivera the average Puerto Rican kid from Brook ave to Boy George a rich kingpin in the dope game. Besides the legend of his rise to power,  he was also well Known for his rich and extravagant life style such as his love for exotic cars including the famed  James Bond
Porsche  laced with a bunch of gadgets to help him escape from police-his expensive top notch wardrobe, stable of beautiful women whom tattooed "property of Boy George on their body.  And of course his lavish party life. The most common statement made about boy George is that he was The best that ever did it.  The most common question asked about Boy Goerge is how the hell did he do it?
   For a strong two year run George ran a tight organization of more than a 150 employees and grossed 9 million a year using the type of intelligent  business  strategies that would come from a seasoned wall street stock broker and enforced his rule with the strict violent force that embedded fear in would be violators, and competition.
   According to court documents& from Spring 1987 to May 2nd 1989 when he was arrested,  Boy George had a well structured organization made up of three levels-manufacturing,  distribution and retail. It states in appeal papers to the United States Court, that the dope would go to his numerous  manufacturing  houses known as  cutting mills or tables where the dope was mixed bagged up,  stamped with his three brands Obsession,  sledgehammer and delirious then delivered for distribution.  At the 5 distribution spots through out The south Bronx and East Harlem the spot owners would give the work to the street crews to sell. The street crews consisted of managers,  sellers, steerers,  lookouts,  and others assistants. On the streets the dope was sold then the money  given to the spot owner who would pay the street crews weekly,  take his cut then give George the rest of the money directly to boy george (all of which is alleged by the courts). With a set up like that it was hard to trace involvement to Boy George until August of 87 when Joey Navado, a confidential informant,  introduced an undercover officer to George to buy 2 ounces of heroin.  Not knowing the guy was a cop,  George supposedly had a conversation with him exposing certain details of the operation. Soon after George learned that the authorities were on to him so he changed spots and his stamp but it was too late the investigation had started. In 1990 George boy George Rivera was indicted on the kingpin charge 848 (a &b) operating a continued criminal enterprise,  846 conspiracy to distribute heroin in excess of a kilogram,  tax evasion, using and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking operation. Members of his organization,  including delivery guy Luis Gautier and even his second in command Ward Johnson and turned prosecution witnesses testifying against him.  After a jury trial George was found guilty of the 846 conspiracy charge and tax evasion and got a hung jury on the other charges. He was sentenced to life in federal prison.  Though he was never charged for it, the authorities said that they can link at least 12 murders to George's climb to the top. He was alleged to have a group of paid hit men to kill violators of his organization,  but it was never proven and is deemed as only allegations.
  

In the streets Boy George is referred to as a total package kind of guy, a brilliant mind,  good looking and fly young brother. A respectful gentleman,  generous and loyal freind, humorous and fun,  lovable guy all of which are proven through his legendary deeds such as the million dollar Christmas eve yaght party that he threw for his staff and loved one's.  At this party  his raffled off a BMW,  $50,000 dollars,  and Rolex watches.  The event was luxuriously catered and featured rap legends Big Daddy Kane and The Jungle Brothers as entertainment. The night was so memorable that undercover cops on the yaght's security team refused to testify to what happened that night. That's just one of many acts of love and generosity that he did constantly. On the other side he was an undeniable gangster that played no games with his money and family. Known for the viciousness of a killer and nice with his hands as a trained boxer,  Boy George demanded respect and loyalty and got it.
   Despite the violent side you may hear about,  people of his hometown  The South Bronx, feel that he served his time and should be freed. Legal teams are being assembled to appeal his case to the supreme court to get him a sentence reduction and bring Boy George home.