On Thursday night, Fetty Wap, who recently announced the tragic death of his 4-year-old daughter Lauren Maxwell, was taken into custody by the FBI. The rapper was arrested at the three-day hip-hop music festival; Rolling Loud.
Willie Junior Maxwell II, commonly known by his stage name Fetty Wap, is an American rapper and singer. Fetty Wap rose to fame after his debut single “Trap Queen” reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 2015. The single was followed by another couple of Top 10 singles, “679” (feat. Remy Boyz) and “My Way” (feat. Drake).
Fetty Wap has a history of bothering law enforcement agencies. He was previously arrested on a DUI charge in 2017 after he was caught drag racing another car on a New York City highway and in 2019 on the charge of three counts of battery.
In the recent indictment, a New Jersey-based rapper is among a half-dozen people charged in the case. The other perpetrators were identified as Anthony Cyntje of Passaic, Kavaughn Wiggins of New York, Brian Sullivan of New York, Robert Leonardi Pennsylvania, and his brother Anthony Leonardi also of New York.
As described by prosecutors, all the above-mentioned defendants are accused of running a “multimillion-dollar bicoastal drug distribution organization.”
According to the indictment, the organization ran for almost a year, from June 2019 to June 2020. The defendants obtained narcotics, including heroin and fentanyl on the West Coast. They used the United States Postal Service and “drivers with hidden vehicle compartments” to transport the drugs to Suffolk County, where they were stored, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Later, the drugs were then purportedly distributed to dealers who sold them in New Jersey and Long Island. As per the prosecutors, five of the perpetrators are accused of using weapons to protect their drug organization and distribution chain.
“As alleged, the defendants transported, distributed and sold more than 100 kilograms of deadly and addictive drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, on Long Island, deliberately contributing to the opioid epidemic that has devastated our communities and taken too many lives,” stated Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“We will continue to work nonstop with our law enforcement partners to keep our neighborhoods safe from the scourge of dangerous drugs and gun violence,” he added.
During the investigation, about $1.5 million in cash, 2 kgs of heroin, 16 kgs of cocaine, several fentanyl pills, 2 handguns, 1 rifle, 1 pistol, and other ammunition were recovered after the search warrants execution.
Brain Sullivan of New York was arrested on September 30, while the remaining culprits were taken into custody by the FBI in October. All six persons have been charged with conspiring to possess and distribute controlled substances, including drugs. If found guilty, the defendants will face a maximum of life in prison.
A lawyer for Fetty Wap, Navarro Gray, stated: “We pray that this is all a big misunderstanding. …Hoping he gets released so we can clear things up expeditiously.”
Counselors for most of the other defendants were reluctant to respond immediately to requests for comment on the incident. A counsel for Cyntje stated that he “will vigorously defend these charges.”
