Spoiler? Walter White, the real one, goes to prison for dealing meth

Jay Busbee
· Senior writer

 

If you happen to share the name of a famous TV or movie character, you're going to expect a little extra scrutiny. If your name happens to be, say, Tony Soprano, you can understand why people might be a little nervous to go on car rides alone with you. Famous names carry certain expectations.

Both of the gentlemen pictured above are named Walter White. The one on the right is a character, played by actor Bryan Cranston, in the recently concluded TV series "Breaking Bad." The one on the left is real, and he lives in Billings, Mont.

The kicker? Both Walter Whites are meth dealers. Life imitates art, and vice versa.

The real-world Walter White, 53, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for selling meth to Nebraska oil field workers. White and his son had a falling out, and White ended up getting shot by his son in an alleged argument over a drug debt. White was arrested in January, and a search warrant executed in March found meth, two guns and more than $15,000 in cash. (That's a departure from the series: $15,000 is an amount "Breaking Bad's" Walter White would accidentally leave in his khakis on laundry day.)

White's initial sentence was nine years for dealing meth, but a U.S. district judge added three years to that for a firearms conviction.

Both Walter Whites had cooks serving as co-conspirators. TV's Walter White has Jesse Pinkman, who [spoilers redacted], while the real-world Walter White's cook Tomas Alvarado was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

During his sentencing, at which he pleaded guilty, White said he had become addicted to  meth, and when he tried to get out of the business, suppliers had threatened him to the point that he had no choice but to continue. Gus Fring would approve.

Of course, it could have been worse for White. After all, "Breaking Bad" ended with Walter White [spoilers redacted]. And that'd be a shame for anyone in the real world.

Contact the author of this story at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or on Twitter at @jaybusbee.