I Chose 10 Years In Prison Over Snitching: The Full Story

At only 23 years old, Ralph—known in the streets as “Mickey Mouse”—was given three choices: cooperate against three marijuana grow houses for five years, take his chances at trial and face 17 years and nine months, or accept 10 years in federal prison. Ralph refused to cooperate and signed for the decade.In this full episode of the 10 Toes Podcast, Ralph explains how the choices that made him a millionaire at 17 ultimately cost him ten years of his life. He describes entering the federal prison system during the early 1990s, dealing with SIS officers, receiving serious disciplinary incident reports and becoming an interpreter for Cuban inmates.Ralph also shares what federal prison was like during an era when long sentences, powerful criminal organizations and inmates with nothing to lose shaped the environment. He discusses the Cuban inmates who stood together inside, the history surrounding the Oakdale and Atlanta prison riots, serving time alongside major figures, encountering fathers incarcerated with their sons and learning how quickly prison politics could turn dangerous.While incarcerated, Ralph received disciplinary reports involving bodily injury, a riot-related incident and a failed drug test. He was also inside federal prison when his brother was murdered—a loss he was forced to process while serving his sentence far away from home.Before federal prison, Ralph says he made his first million dollars at 17 and became involved in Miami’s cocaine trade. After selling seven kilos in two days, his operation expanded until he was receiving as many as 100 kilos every month from people he says were connected to the Cali Cartel.As millions of dollars moved through the organization, Ralph and his associates opened a computer company that purchased processors, memory chips and other computer parts for export throughout Central and South America. According to Ralph, the company was used to launder nearly $96 million in drug proceeds during the early days of the internet.The operation collapsed after federal agents intercepted a container containing more than 800 kilos of cocaine. During the controlled operation that followed, 25 kilos were delivered to Ralph’s home, co-defendants began cooperating and Ralph found himself facing a massive federal conspiracy case.This episode explores:• Why Ralph accepted 10 years instead of cooperating • Entering federal prison at only 23 years old • Prison disciplinary reports and dealing with SIS • Becoming an interpreter for Cuban inmates • Racial alliances and prison politics • Serving time around lifers and major criminal figures • Learning his brother had been murdered while incarcerated • Federal prison recreation, softball and weightlifting • Making his first million dollars at 17 • Moving as many as 100 kilos every month • Working with people connected to the Cali Cartel • Laundering drug money through computer exports • The shipment containing more than 800 kilos • How cooperating defendants changed his federal case • Why Ralph says there is no glory in receiving a life sentence Ralph’s story is not only about cartel money and cocaine trafficking. It is about the moment the lifestyle ended, the ten years he lost inside federal prison and why he eventually realized that surviving the game means knowing when it is over.🛒 Dope Boy Empire Merch: https://www.dbeapparel.com🔗 CONNECT WITH 10 TOES PODCAST 👉 Jason on Instagram: @8upjay 👉 Jason on TikTok: @8upjay 🔗 CONNECT WITH RALPH Search “Record Ralph” on social media.🛒 Dope Boy Empire Merch: https://www.dbeapparel.com🔗 CONNECT WITH 10 TOES PODCAST👉 Jason on Instagram / 8upjay 👉 Jason on TikTok / 8upjay 🔗 CONNECT WITH RALPH👉 Ralph on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wreakitralph43Join 10 Toes After Dark Patreon exclusive content 👉 / 10toespodcast