Rapper Fetty Wap Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking on Long Island
Rapper Fetty Wap was sentenced to six years in prison and five years post-release supervision for distributing drugs across Long Island and New Jersey, according to the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Judge Joanna Seybert sentenced 31-year-old Fetty Wap, whose legal name is William Junior Maxwell II, on Wednesday at the federal courthouse in Central Islip. There are five other co-defendants in the drug trafficking case, three of them from Long Island.
Maxwell apologized for his actions and told the judge, “Me being selfish in my pride put me in this position today.” His lawyers had suggested he turned to selling drugs because of financial hardship brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Court filings state that Maxwell and his co defendants distributed more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine from the West Coast to Long Island and New Jersey via the United States Postal Service and vehicles with hidden compartments from June 2019 to June 2020.
The defendants stored the drugs in Suffolk County and ultimately resold them, according to the court filings. They also used firearms “to protect their drug organization and distribution chain,” according to the filings.
Seybert sentenced Maxwell’s co-defendant, New Jersey corrections officer Anthony Cyntje, to 72 months in prison on March 7, and four others pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
The other co-defendants are Brian Sullivan, 27, of Lake Grove; Kavaughn Wiggins, 28, of Coram; Anthony Leonardi, 49, of Coram; and Robert Leonardi, 28, of Pennsylvania.
Maxwell’s lawyers had hoped for 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.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Caffarone said the prosecution was not about Maxwell’s fame as a performer.
“The defendant did actually sell drugs,” Caffarone said. “The defendant did actually sell cocaine.”
Judge Joanna Seybert told Maxwell, “You’ve got a lot going for you. See if you can put it together.”
Maxwell rose to prominence after his debut single, the melodic but grungy “Trap Queen,” reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 2015. The song talks about a lover having your back — even if that means helping you cook and sell drugs.
He was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2016.
With Associated Press
