Fetty Wap Sentenced to 6 Years In Prison After Pleading Guilty to Federal Drug Charge

Fetty Wap was sentenced to six years successful national situation Wednesday aft pleading blameworthy past twelvemonth to national supplier charges.

Attorneys for nan “Trap Queen” prima (real sanction Willie Junior Maxwell II) had urged nan judge to rumor only a five-year sentence, nan minimum allowed nether nan law. Prosecutors alternatively asked for betwixt 7 and 9 years, urging nan judge to “send a message” against a prima who utilized his euphony to “glamorize nan supplier trade.”

At a proceeding Wednesday successful Long Island national court, Judge Joanna Seybert divided nan quality – ordering nan rapper to service a six-year sentence, to beryllium followed by an further 5 years of post-release supervision.

An lawyer for Fetty did not instantly return a petition for comment. A spokesperson for nan U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed nan condemnation but declined to remark further.

Fetty Wap was arrested successful October 2021 astatine Rolling Loud New York, aft prosecutors unveiled an indictment against him and 5 others. Prosecutors claimed group had shipped much than 100 kilograms of nan narcotics from California and distributed them connected Long Island, contributing to “the addiction and overdose pandemic we person seen clip and clip again tear people’s lives apart.”

In August, Fetty admitted to participating successful nan scheme, pleading blameworthy to a azygous complaint of colluding to administer astatine slightest 500 grams of cocaine.

Ahead of Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, his lawyers pleaded for leniency, saying he “realizes nan unspeakable correction he made” and is “truly sorry for nan nonaccomplishment and wounded he has caused.” Seeking nan minimum of 5 years, they based on that Fetty only turned to crime to support family members arsenic his touring income dried up during nan COVID-19 pandemic.

“Personal summation was not his motivation,” they wrote. “Rather, he was motivated by his committedness to financially support others.”

But prosecutors quickly fired backmost pinch a darker story: Of a successful musician who had already earned millions but chose to “supplement his income” by trading “drugs he knew would ruin lives.” And notably, they cited Fetty’s euphony itself, claiming he should person a harsher reward successful portion because he utilized his songs to “glamorize nan supplier trade.”

“Before his arrest, nan suspect became celebrated singing astir his acquisition cooking ace cocaine, trading narcotics and making important money from those forbidden endeavors,” prosecutors wrote. “Young group who respect nan suspect and are considering trading narcotics request to beryllium sent a message.”

Such references to rap lyrics successful criminal cases has travel nether scrutiny successful caller years. Critics opportunity narcotics and unit are banal elements of hip-hop and should not beryllium treated virtually — and that by doing so, prosecutors infringe connected free reside and sway courts pinch unfair evidence, pinch predictably disproportionate harm inflicted connected Black artists.