Rapper was a member of an organization that distributed drugs across the US

Rapper Fetty Wap was sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a drug dealing charge in federal court. The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York announced the sentence today (Wed, May 24th). The rapper was arrested in October 2021 at New York’s Citi Field, where he was scheduled to perform as part of the Rolling Loud New York festival, as a member of a six person organization that distributed more than 100 kilograms of drugs across Long Island and New Jersey.

United States District Judge Joanna Seybert sentenced William Junior Maxwell II, who is the rap artist known as Fetty Wap, to six years’ imprisonment and five years of post-release supervision for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. On March 7th, Judge Seybert sentenced Maxwell’s co-defendant Anthony Cyntje, a New Jersey correction officer, to 72 months’ imprisonment for his role in the drug trafficking conspiracy. Maxwell’s remaining four co-defendants pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

According to court filings, from approximately June 2019 through June 2020, Maxwell II was among those who distributed more than 100 kilograms of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine across Long Island and New Jersey. The defendants obtained the narcotics on the west coast and used the United States Postal Service and drivers with hidden vehicle compartments to transport the controlled substances across the country to Suffolk County, where they were stored. The drugs were then distributed to dealers, who sold them on Long Island and in New Jersey. Five of the defendants also used firearms to protect their drug organization and distribution chain. Defendants Anthony Leonardi, Robert Leonardi, Brian Sullivan, and Kavaughn Wiggins participated in the purchase and transportation of the narcotics from the west coast to the east coast where they were processed, stored and ultimately resold. Maxwell was a kilogram-level redistributor for the trafficking organization, and Cyntje transported kilograms of cocaine from Long Island to New Jersey.

Search warrants executed during the investigation resulted in the recovery of approximately $1.5 million in cash, 16 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of heroin, numerous fentanyl pills, two 9 mm handguns, a rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and ammunition.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.

Maxwell II’s lawyer is requesting the minimum sentence of five years.