Fetty Wap Gains Early Release in Drug Case: What’s Next for the Rap Star?

NEW YORK – After serving roughly half of a six-year sentence for his involvement in a drug trafficking operation based in New York, rapper Fetty Wap has transitioned from federal prison to home confinement.

The “Trap Queen” artist, legally known as Willie Maxwell, was released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Sandstone, Minnesota, and is now under community confinement managed by a Philadelphia Bureau of Prisons office. Although the agency did not disclose the reasons for his early release, it remains unclear whether he engaged in a specific early release program.

In a statement through his publicist, Abesi Manyando, the New Jersey native expressed gratitude to his supporters, including family, friends, and fans. While confirming his presence in New Jersey, the statement refrained from providing his precise location.

Maxwell had been in custody since August 2022, following the revocation of his $500,000 bail. This decision came after prosecutors accused him of threatening to kill someone, which breached his pretrial release conditions. Initially arrested in October 2021, he admitted guilt to a conspiracy drug charge in August 2022 and was sentenced in May 2023 by a federal judge on Long Island, New York.

Alongside five co-defendants, Fetty Wap faced allegations of planning to possess and distribute over 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine from June 2019 to June 2020. Prosecutors detailed their use of the U.S. Postal Service and vehicles with hidden compartments to transport the narcotics from the West Coast to Long Island, where they were stored for distribution to dealers in both Long Island and New Jersey.

“Right now, my focus is on giving back through my community initiatives and foundation, supporting at-risk young children by expanding access to education, early tech skills, and vision care for young kids and students so they can show up as their best selves. I’m committed to moving forward with purpose and making a meaningful impact where it matters most,” the rapper’s statement said.