Actor and rapper Fetty Wap is facing federal drug charges in relation to his alleged involvement in a large-scale drug operation in the US.
The rapper Fetty Wap, whose real name is William Junior Maxwell, pleaded not guilty and is currently being held without bail.
The rapper was also due to perform at the Rolling Loud Music Festival in Queens, however, he was unable to attend as a result of the legal proceedings.
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael Driscoll said, “The fact that we arrested a chart-topping rap artist and a corrections officer as part of the conspiracy illustrates just how vile the drug trade has become.”
Fetty Wap is due to appear in court on November 24 with the prosecution alleging he was a “kilogram-level” dealer in the operation. It is alleged that the rapper and five others were trafficking more than 100 kilos of opioids, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack.
Fetty Wap after the 1,000th time the inmates made him perform Trap Queen at “yard time” pic.twitter.com/rcCx3kecsZ
— DIZZLƎ (@dizzlehiphop) October 30, 2021
District Attorney Timothy Sini described the organised ring as a “multimillion-dollar bicoastal drug distribution organisation” with Suffolk County as their home base.
The operation was involved with the distribution and sale of large-scale narcotics from the west to the east coast.
Authorities will argue that the organisation ran from about June 2019 to June 2020 with the defendants obtaining narcotics on the West Coast and using the postal service and “drivers with hidden vehicle compartments”.
Following transportation, the controlled substances were then allegedly distributed to dealers to sell in Long Island and New Jersey. Five of the defendants are accused of using illegal firearms to defend their organisation and supply chain, prosecutors said.
An FBI search of various locations uncovered $1.5 million in cash, 16 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of heroin, fentanyl pills, 9mm handguns, a rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and ammunition.
In a statement, Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said the group “deliberately contributing to the opioid epidemic that has devastated our communities and taken too many lives,”.
