New York rapper Casanova was sentenced on Tuesday (June 27) to 15 years in jail for racketeering and other drug crimes. The rapper pleaded guilty in 2021 to one count of conspiring to violate the racketeering act and one count of conspiring to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana and was facing a maximum of 60 years in jail.
Casanova is the second person to be sentenced in the federal indictment involving 17 co-defendants, who prosecutors say are all members of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation gang.
His sentencing also comes just a week after he denounced his affiliation to the Bloods gang and was attacked in prison and stabbed by another inmate.
On Tuesday, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, announced Casanova’s sentencing by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern. According to Williams, Casanova was a leader of a street gang.
“Caswell Senior is not just a notorious recording artist, but he is also a high-profile leader of a vicious street gang and a magnet for gang violence,” he said.
The statement continued that the rapper used his rap career to fund gang activities.
“Senior’s stature in the community was central to Gorilla Stone’s successful recruitment and nationwide expansion. Today’s sentencing — along with the other significant sentences that have been imposed in this case — shows once again that gang life is not worth it and will lead to many years in prison,” the D.A. said.
Prosecutors had accused Casanova of having a lead role in a shooting in July 2020 in Florida and later a robbery in 2018. He was also accused of trafficking over 100 kg of marijuana, which he pleaded guilty to.
In the meantime, the rapper’s lengthy sentence means he will be detained with other Bloods gang members, one of whom made an attempt on his life last week.
The rapper was attacked by another inmate named Ulysses Lugo, who slashed his face. Both inflicted wounds on each other.
