New York rapper who joined Trump marketing campaign rally sentenced for tried homicide

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York Metropolis rapper who joined President Donald Trump during a campaign rally final yr has been sentenced to 5 years behind bars after he admitted he used earnings from his music profession to gas gang violence in Brooklyn.

Sheff G, whose authorized identify is Michael Williams, additionally should serve 5 years of supervised launch as soon as he’s freed beneath the phrases of the sentence imposed Wednesday.

He and the choose agreed on the sentence when the rapper pleaded guilty earlier this yr to tried homicide and conspiracy. Prosecutors wished a 20-year jail time period.

“This defendant had expertise and alternative, however selected to make use of them to gas violence as an alternative of constructing a greater future,” Brooklyn District Lawyer Eric Gonzalez stated after the sentencing.

The 27-year-old rapper, whose songs and movies have tens of millions of YouTube views and Spotify streams, was amongst these arrested in reference to a long-term investigation into gang-related shootings in Brooklyn. The allegations of violence towards Sheff G had already been made public when he appeared with Trump onstage in Might 2024.

Greater than 30 purported members of the 8 Trey Crips and the road gang’s affiliate, the 9 Methods gang, have been indicted. Twenty-three have pleaded responsible to numerous fees whereas seven circumstances are nonetheless pending.

Amongst these charged was Tegan Chambers, a rapper often called Sleepy Hallow who additionally appeared on stage with Trump and Sheff G throughout the Might 23, 2024, rally within the Bronx. Chambers was sentenced final week to a yr in jail following his responsible plea to a conspiracy depend.

A spokesman for Trump’s marketing campaign was requested on the time about whether or not the marketing campaign knew concerning the fees and whether or not it was the previous president who sought the rappers’ help or the opposite means round.

“As Sheff G stated: ‘They at all times whisper your accomplishments and shout your failures,’” marketing campaign spokesman Steven Cheung responded.

Prosecutors have stated Sheff G showered cash and jewellery on gang members as they battled rivals in Brooklyn.

They are saying the rapper acted as a getaway driver on at the very least one event, chauffeuring three co-defendants to and from a 2021 taking pictures that focused a rival however as an alternative hit two bystanders. Sheff G even handled gang members to a lavish dinner at a Manhattan steakhouse to rejoice a 2020 taking pictures that killed a purported rival gang member and injured 5 others, in response to prosecutors.

Surveillance movies, social media posts, textual content messages and extra proof doc the legal actions, and the 2 rappers additionally boasted about their misdeeds of their songs, Gonzalez’s workplace stated.

Sheff G’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, didn’t instantly reply to an electronic mail in search of touch upon Wednesday. He’s stated beforehand that the plea deal was within the “finest curiosity of everybody concerned.”

Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow had been among the many notable names Trump touted throughout his marketing campaign stops as he labored to woo Black voters on his approach to reclaiming the White Home.

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This story corrects an earlier model that described Sheff G as having reached a plea take care of prosecutors within the Brooklyn district lawyer’s workplace. He and the choose agreed on the sentence, over the objection of prosecutors. ___

Shipkowski contributed to this report from Toms River, New Jersey.

Comply with Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo