(New York) American rapper Fetty Wap has been arrested by police in New York and is being prosecuted for drug trafficking, including heroin, local law enforcement officials said on Friday.
The 30-year-old artist, whose real name is William Junior Maxwell II, is implicated alongside five individuals in a New York court.
They are accused of transporting, distributing and selling more than 100 kg of drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opiate, in Long Island, near New York, and in New Jersey in June 2019 to June 2020, according to a press release from the Ministry of Justice.
During the searches, the police seized nearly $ 1.5 million in cash, 16 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of heroin, many fentanyl pills and several weapons, the statement said.
Arrested by the FBI Thursday afternoon on Long Island in the area of a festival where it was to occur, Fetty Wap is accused of having served as a “distributor” within this drug trafficking.
“The fact that we arrested a successful rapper and a prison guard in connection with this trafficking shows how despicable the drug trade has become,” commented Michael Driscoll, head of the FBI in New York.
Fetty Wap, who rose to prominence in 2015 with his success Trap queen, is scheduled to appear in court on Friday afternoon. If found guilty, he faces a life sentence.
This is not the first time that the artist has come into conflict with the law. Accused of assaulting three hotel employees, Fetty Wap was arrested by police in 2019. He was also charged with drunk driving in 2017.