$3M Lotto Winner Pleads Guilty to Using Prize Money to Fund Illegal Meth Ring

— -- A Georgia man who won millions in the lottery could face life in prison after pleading guilty to using a portion of his prize to invest in a crystal meth operation.

Ronnie Music Jr., 45, of Waycross, Georgia, pleaded guilty last week to federal drug and gun charges after U.S. attorneys presented evidence that he "conspired with others to possess and distribute kilograms of methamphetamine," according to a statement released by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

"The investigation revealed that in September, 2015, Music’s co-conspirators were caught attempting to sell approximately 11 pounds of crystal meth, with a street value in excess of $500,000," said the DOJ.

Federal agents seized over $1 million worth of meth, a large cache of firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, multiple vehicles, and over $600,000 in cash as part of the case.

"Music decided to test his luck by sinking millions of dollars of lottery winnings into the purchase and sale of crystal meth," said U.S. Attorney Ed Tarver. "As a result of his unsound investment strategy, [he] now faces decades in a federal prison."

Music had won $3 million in a Georgia Lottery scratch off game in February, 2015, according to Georgia Lottery's website.

Music will be sentenced by a judge in the Southern District of Georgia and faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.