Rapper Fetty Wap sentenced to 6 years for drugs in Long Island, New York

ISLIP CENTRAL, New York — Fetty Wap was sentenced Wednesday to six years behind bars in a federal drug case on Long Island.

Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of up to nine years in prison.

The “Trap Queen” rapper and native of Paterson, New Jersey, whose real name is William Junior Maxwell II, pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine. The charge carried a mandatory minimum sentence of five years.

Maxwell apologized for his actions and told the judge, “The fact that I’m selfish in my pride put me in this position today.” His lawyers had suggested that he turn to selling drugs due to financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He and several others were charged with driving on Long Island and buying cocaine by the kilogram and then reselling it in New Jersey and New York in 2020.

“The fact that we arrested a chart-topping rapper and a prison officer as part of the conspiracy illustrates how despicable the drug trade has become,” the FBI’s Michael Driscoll said in 2021.

Maxwell was a kilogram-level redistributor for the trafficking organization, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said the scheme involved using the U.S. Postal Service and cars with hidden compartments to transport drugs from the West Coast to Long Island, where they were stored for distribution to dealers in Long Island and New Jersey. .

“It’s a sad day,” defense attorney Elizabeth Macedonio said. “He was a kid from Paterson, New Jersey who got away with it.”

She said Maxwell “accepts responsibility for her conduct.”

Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Caffarone said the charge did not relate to Maxwell’s fame as a performer.

“The defendant did indeed sell drugs,” Caffarone said. “The defendant did sell cocaine.”

Judge Joanna Seybert told Maxwell, “You’ve got a lot on your plate. See if you can put it all together.”

Maxwell rose to prominence after her debut single, the melodic but grungy ‘Trap Queen’, reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 2015. The song is about a lover who has your back – even if that means helping you cook and sell drugs.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more updates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.