Fetty Wap Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking
Fetty Wap was sentenced to six years in federal prison on Wednesday (May 24) after pleading guilty to a drug dealing charge, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced. Fetty Wap, whose real name is Willie Maxwell, apologized to the jury stating, “Me being selfish in my pride put me in this position today,” per the Associated Press.
Maxwell’s lawyers were trying to get Fetty the minimum five-year prison term, while prosecutors sought a longer sentence. “This is a sad day,” defense attorney Elizabeth Macedonio said. “This is a kid from Paterson, New Jersey who made it out.”
She said Maxwell “accepts responsibility for his conduct.”
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Macedonio said that the New Jersey native only resorted to trafficking drugs as a result of personal issues that depleted his income. Those personal issues were his divorce and the lack of opportunities in the entertainment industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapper has nine children.
“He is described as a people pleaser and a person who gains great satisfaction from taking care of others,” Macedonio wrote. “Suddenly it felt like life was going in reverse and he became ashamed when he began to struggle to keep up the lifestyle that he created for so many.”
The “Trap Queen” rapper has been held in custody since August. The rapper violated the terms of his pretrial release by threatening to kill a man during a FaceTime call in 2021. His bail was revoked because of the incident.
Fetty Wap was one of six people charged with “conspiring to distribute and possess controlled substances” in October 2021, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice per PEOPLE.
Fetty rose to fame in 2015 after dropping his debut single, “Trap Queen.” The song reached the No. 2 spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 2015. He was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2016.
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