Platinum-selling rapper Fetty Wap has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking ring between Long Island and New Jersey.
Born Willie Maxwell II, the artist pleaded guilty to a conspiracy drug charge in August 2022, carrying a minimum five-year sentence. The sentencing occurred in a federal court on Long Island, where Maxwell expressed remorse, acknowledging that his pride and selfishness had led him down this path.
His defense lawyers argued that financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic pushed him into drug dealing. Maxwell’s arrest in October 2021 revealed his participation in a conspiracy to smuggle large quantities of heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs into the New York City area.
According to prosecutors, the drug trafficking operation involved transporting drugs from the West Coast to Long Island using various methods, including the U.S. Postal Service and vehicles equipped with hidden compartments.
The substances were then stored in Suffolk County before being distributed to Long Island and New Jersey dealers. Maxwell’s guilty plea pertained specifically to the distribution and possession of cocaine, sparing him from potentially facing a life sentence if convicted on all charges.
Defense attorney Elizabeth Macedonio argued for the minimum five-year prison term, emphasizing Maxwell’s difficult circumstances during the pandemic.
Prosecutors, on the other hand, sought a longer sentence and pointed to Maxwell’s hit song “Trap Queen” as evidence of his continued involvement in the drug trade—the lyrics of the song reference financial gain from drug dealing.
In addition, prosecutors highlighted an incident where Maxwell allegedly threatened someone with a gun during a FaceTime call, leading to the revocation of his USD 500,000 bond. Judge Joanna Seybert urged Maxwell to reflect on his potential and make positive changes while incarcerated.
Maxwell gained fame with his debut single “Trap Queen,” which reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2015. The song’s lyrics portray a relationship in which a partner supports the protagonist’s drug-related activities.
The rapper’s rise to stardom included two Grammy Award nominations in 2016. Maxwell’s actions led him down a destructive path despite his success in the music industry.
ncG1vNJzZmiblaGyo6%2FRoquim6NjsLC5jqecsKtfp66xvMSrZJ%2BdpKnGbsPAqWSsnZ6psq%2BvxJ1kraddqLa5ediemKurXZ67brzRoqqopl2bvLN5w6usoGWkp66nssicoqKml2Q%3D