Fetty Wap pleaded guilty Monday to U.S. federal drug charges that come with a minimum five-year prison sentence.
The 31-year-old rapper, whose real name is Willie Maxwell II, was arrested last October ahead of his appearance at the Rolling Loud festival in New York City and charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances.
He was accused of being part of a group that trafficked more than 100 kilograms of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl. Prosecutor Breon Peace said the rap star was “deliberately contributing to the opioid epidemic that has devastated our communities and taken too many lives.”
Fetty Wap initially pleaded not guilty and was free on $500,000 U.S. bond. He was arrested on Aug. 8 for breaching the conditions of his bail in December, when he allegedly threatened to kill a man and flashed a gun during a FaceTime call. He has been in custody since the arrest.
Monday’s guilty plea to the drug charges includes a sentencing recommendation of seven to nine years.
Fetty Wap’s lawyer told a reporter outside the Long Island courthouse: “He is NOT cooperating. I want that to be very, very clear. This is a standard plea.”