Poppa Joe
Written by Vince Evans
The king of cocaine, the ceo, and Mr. Untouchable are some of the things said about Poppa Joe, the kingpin that controlled the cocaine trade in columbus ohio for 10 years. From the year 2000 to 2010 in Columbus Ohio, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cocaine, weed and cash flowed in, out and through the streets courtesy of the highly organized Brittany Hills Posse led by the infamous Papa Joe. The Brittany Hills Posse, named after the area in Columbus that they were operating at, had a reputation for being untouchable with the way they avoided infiltration and police contact through their habits of being highly organized, not trusting anybody outside of their circle and being protective with dangerous force. Maurice "Poppa Joe" Williams brought bricks of coke from Detroit, Texas, and Georgia into Columbus hidden in different vehicles and trucks with secret compartments.
He distributed and sold the work using a team of loyal soldiers that he picked because he related to them and their rough upbringing as his father was killed by police when he was four and his mother being a drug addict. His crew looked up to him and stayed loyal to him because he led them to the lifestyle they always wanted. Poppa Joe's recipe for success, according to members of his team, was that he never got his hands dirty, he stayed far away from drugs, violence or any incriminating activities, instead he got others to handle it for him. For example, he moved to Decatur Georgia and left the day to day dealings of the operation such as transporting, storage and distribution to the team while he dealt directly with the connects and supplied everything. Like a real corporate CEO he devised the business plans and strategies and sent the orders while he remained in the shadows and lived what appeared to be a legit life as a entertainment promoter. He made a lot of industry contacts, befriended several rappers including Gucci Maine and Jim Jones. Joe frequented celebrity events including the 2006 NBA all star game in Houston where he hung out with one of his cocaine connect, and a show that he went to with Jim Jones and ended up paying for the 20 man entourage that Jim brought with him to avoid the complaining promoter from shorting the money. He lived like a millionaire celebrity and did so off of drug money, but like all good things it eventually came to an end.
Back in Ohio the Brittany Hills Posse was under investigation for a year by the FBI in what was called operation Georgia Peach stemming from joes back and forth dealings from Decatur to Columbus. Through this investigation they managed to record Joe in almost ten thousand phone conversations between him and members of the Posse as well as with his connects discussing business. The calls combined with the cooperation and testimony of 11 out of 30 of his Posse members against him, he was charged with operating a continuing criminal enterprise and numerous other conspiracy charges. Joe escaped the raids and went on the run for 6 months, an eventful time which was documented in the self published book co written by his friend, and legal as well as illegal business associate Nigel Jackson tittled The Brittany Hills Conspiracy:Poppa Joes 177 days on the run. Amongst the events was his legendary 33rd birthday party that he threw himself in the nightclub Ice in downtown Columbus Ohio where his rapper freind Jim jones and Jewelz Santana performed and 900 people came to show love. The party also served as a going away celebration because 6 days later Poppa Joe was caught in North Carolina and arrested. Even his trial was a memorable event as hundreds of family and friends filled the courtroom to support Joe during his time of need and watched as lawyer and the federal prosecutor fought a seven day battle for his freedom. His lawyer described him to the jury as a brilliant man with a winning personality that made people love and admire him, from when he was a young athletic hero with a bright future in basketball to the positive role model he had become in his community his good deeds such as buying the local pee wee football league uniforms and equipment, financing community affairs, and helping neighbors financially. His lawyer also implied that he affiliated with drug dealers and criminals due to his rough childhood but was not the kingpin that he was made out to be. The federal prosecutor' s arguments presented Joe as a dangerous criminal mastermind that poisoned his community with drugs and corrupted the minds of younger people as they aspired to be like him a wealthy drug boss that got what he wanted in life by breaking the law. In the end the prosecutor won the battle and the 34 year old Maurice "Poppa Joe" Williams was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. All of His property was seized, his small fleet of luxury cars, houses and assets, every thing but His legacy. His supporters yelled loving words of encouragement as he was being taken away and they still maintain his innocnce. Poppa Joe will always be a legend in his hometown Columbus Ohio and amongst those that knew him.
Written by Vince Evans
The king of cocaine, the ceo, and Mr. Untouchable are some of the things said about Poppa Joe, the kingpin that controlled the cocaine trade in columbus ohio for 10 years. From the year 2000 to 2010 in Columbus Ohio, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cocaine, weed and cash flowed in, out and through the streets courtesy of the highly organized Brittany Hills Posse led by the infamous Papa Joe. The Brittany Hills Posse, named after the area in Columbus that they were operating at, had a reputation for being untouchable with the way they avoided infiltration and police contact through their habits of being highly organized, not trusting anybody outside of their circle and being protective with dangerous force. Maurice "Poppa Joe" Williams brought bricks of coke from Detroit, Texas, and Georgia into Columbus hidden in different vehicles and trucks with secret compartments.
He distributed and sold the work using a team of loyal soldiers that he picked because he related to them and their rough upbringing as his father was killed by police when he was four and his mother being a drug addict. His crew looked up to him and stayed loyal to him because he led them to the lifestyle they always wanted. Poppa Joe's recipe for success, according to members of his team, was that he never got his hands dirty, he stayed far away from drugs, violence or any incriminating activities, instead he got others to handle it for him. For example, he moved to Decatur Georgia and left the day to day dealings of the operation such as transporting, storage and distribution to the team while he dealt directly with the connects and supplied everything. Like a real corporate CEO he devised the business plans and strategies and sent the orders while he remained in the shadows and lived what appeared to be a legit life as a entertainment promoter. He made a lot of industry contacts, befriended several rappers including Gucci Maine and Jim Jones. Joe frequented celebrity events including the 2006 NBA all star game in Houston where he hung out with one of his cocaine connect, and a show that he went to with Jim Jones and ended up paying for the 20 man entourage that Jim brought with him to avoid the complaining promoter from shorting the money. He lived like a millionaire celebrity and did so off of drug money, but like all good things it eventually came to an end.
Back in Ohio the Brittany Hills Posse was under investigation for a year by the FBI in what was called operation Georgia Peach stemming from joes back and forth dealings from Decatur to Columbus. Through this investigation they managed to record Joe in almost ten thousand phone conversations between him and members of the Posse as well as with his connects discussing business. The calls combined with the cooperation and testimony of 11 out of 30 of his Posse members against him, he was charged with operating a continuing criminal enterprise and numerous other conspiracy charges. Joe escaped the raids and went on the run for 6 months, an eventful time which was documented in the self published book co written by his friend, and legal as well as illegal business associate Nigel Jackson tittled The Brittany Hills Conspiracy:Poppa Joes 177 days on the run. Amongst the events was his legendary 33rd birthday party that he threw himself in the nightclub Ice in downtown Columbus Ohio where his rapper freind Jim jones and Jewelz Santana performed and 900 people came to show love. The party also served as a going away celebration because 6 days later Poppa Joe was caught in North Carolina and arrested. Even his trial was a memorable event as hundreds of family and friends filled the courtroom to support Joe during his time of need and watched as lawyer and the federal prosecutor fought a seven day battle for his freedom. His lawyer described him to the jury as a brilliant man with a winning personality that made people love and admire him, from when he was a young athletic hero with a bright future in basketball to the positive role model he had become in his community his good deeds such as buying the local pee wee football league uniforms and equipment, financing community affairs, and helping neighbors financially. His lawyer also implied that he affiliated with drug dealers and criminals due to his rough childhood but was not the kingpin that he was made out to be. The federal prosecutor' s arguments presented Joe as a dangerous criminal mastermind that poisoned his community with drugs and corrupted the minds of younger people as they aspired to be like him a wealthy drug boss that got what he wanted in life by breaking the law. In the end the prosecutor won the battle and the 34 year old Maurice "Poppa Joe" Williams was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. All of His property was seized, his small fleet of luxury cars, houses and assets, every thing but His legacy. His supporters yelled loving words of encouragement as he was being taken away and they still maintain his innocnce. Poppa Joe will always be a legend in his hometown Columbus Ohio and amongst those that knew him.
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