Former Music Industry Executive Turned Prison Minister Marty Angelo Tells Justin Bieber to Put the Brakes on Drug Abuse
He lived a wild, drug-addled lifestyle before it all came crashing down in the 1980s. Now former music industry executive turned prison minister Marty Angelo is warning troubled pop star Justin Bieber that he should put the brakes on his reported drug abuse before it's too late.
A TMZ report revealed Monday that when officers from the L.A. County Sheriff's Office visited Bieber's Mansion last Tuesday they discovered a "trove" of drugs including "2 large cookie jars filled with weed in plain view. There were also 4 - 5 empty codeine bottles in the mansion." There was also drug paraphernalia like bongs in several rooms.
"Back in my generation, we wrote the book on abusing drugs and alcohol and many of the friends and colleagues are now dead and gone because of the way we lived. I never thought for a minute my friends, Jimi Hendrix or Janis Joplin would die in 1970 from drug overdoses," wrote Angelo, the force behind Once Life Matters Ministries, Inc., open letter to Bieber on his website Saturday.
"Did I learn from their mistakes? NO! Did I think anything bad would happen to me? NO! However, everything came to an abrupt end for me 10 years later when the cops handcuffed me to a chair in the backyard swimming pool area of my house in Miami Beach, Florida. My party was officially over," he explained.
Angelo, who went on to write a book about his wild life and eventual fall titled Once Life Matters: A New Beginning, warned Bieber that he needs to pause and take heed to some good advice, explaining that he was sending him a copy of his book.
"I am sending it to you today hoping that after you read it, you will discover some valuable insights on what may happen to you in the future if you continue to abuse drugs, as reported in the media," said Angelo.
"You are a very young man, Justin, who still has a lot to learn. When I look back to when I was your age I can remember never wanting to listen to anyone who was trying to tell me what I was doing was wrong.
"Right now, I am 67 years old. When I was 35, while riding high in the entertainment business, I suffered a major consequence for my out-of-control lifestyle. In 1980, I was arrested and plead guilty to two counts of possession of cocaine. I was sentenced to six years in federal prison and three years of special parole," he said.
"Abusing drugs will bring you one of three definite consequences: prison, serious hospitalization, or death. Please learn from those of us who have been down this road before it is too late," he urged.