Rapper Fetty Wap was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison for drug trafficking.
The 31-year-old, whose real name is Willie Maxwell II, pleaded guilty last August to conspiracy to possess and distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.
According to his lawyer, Fetty Wap was dealing drugs to provide for his eight children after the pandemic cut off his income from performing.
The sentence is one year longer than the minimum. Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of between seven and nine years, claiming Fetty Wap used his fame to glamourize the drug trade.
The rap star was arrested in October 2021 ahead of his appearance at the Rolling Loud festival in New York City and accused of being part of a group that trafficked more than 100 kilograms of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.
Fetty Wap initially pleaded not guilty and was free on $500,000 U.S. bond – until his bail was revoked last August after he allegedly threatened to kill a man and flashed a gun during a FaceTime call. He has been in custody ever since.