The former manager of rap duo CLIPSE will spend the next 32 years behind bars after pleading guilty to running a $20 million (?12.5 million) drug cartel across the U.S.
Anthony ‘Geezy’ Gonzalez turned himself into police in Miami, Florida last April (09) and admitted to running a six-year drug ring, shifting 100 pounds (45.3 kilograms) of cocaine and over a ton of marijuana through Virginia. A federal investigation into his dealings, and that of six of his associates, turned up evidence suggesting Gonzalez imported the narcotics from Florida, California and Arizona, laundering millions through various businesses, including Clipse’s booking agency, Soul Providers Management.
The legal documents state the defendants pretended they were “music producers, rappers, entrepreneurs, club owners, clothing designers and other legitimate occupations in order to conceal the true source of their income”.
Gonzalez, 34, was hit with a total of 82 charges and he was sentenced to the lengthy prison term during a court appearance in Norfolk, Virginia on Monday (11Jan10).
Before Gonzalez was taken away to begin his sentence, he told the court : “I just want to say that I’m sorry to my family and I’m sorry to the community.”
The convicted felon could have landed a much longer punishment, but U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Friedman agreed to consider Gonzalez’s previously light criminal record, his community support and cooperation with the federal government and handed him the minimum sentenced allowed under federal law.
Grindin’ stars Clipse were not directly involved in the charges.
