LAS VEGAS — Philthy Wealthy, the Oakland rapper who's also called an anti-violence spokesman, has pleaded responsible to trying to illegally purchase weapons in Nevada with the assistance of a straw purchaser, court docket data present.
The famed rapper, whose actual identify is Phillip Beasley, pleaded responsible to creating a false assertion in acquisition of a firearm. His signed plea settlement admits the overall allegations — that Beasley used co-defendant Jasmine Garcia to purchase weapons in her identify and switch them to him, figuring out Beasley was listed as a “prohibited individual” and unable to lawfully purchase weapons. Garcia has additionally pleaded responsible for her position.
Although each have entered responsible pleas to the identical scheme, the proposed sentences differ — prosecutors have agreed to offer Garcia “time served,” which means she received’t serve any jail time offered she doesn’t get caught breaking the legislation between now and her sentencing date. Beasley’s settlement, in contrast, says prosecutors will search a “low-end” jail time period for him, with the ultimate resolution being as much as a federal decide; nevertheless, the U.S. Lawyer’s workplace in Las Vegas hasn’t stated particularly how a lot jail time might be sought.
Beasley’s sentencing date was tentatively set for June 21. Even when he's despatched to jail, it received’t essentially be computerized; a decide might incarcerate him instantly or give him a turn-in date a number of months down the road.
The case has been lively since 2021. The charging paperwork said that Garcia and Beasley went to Precision Armory in Las Vegas to purchase three pistols, and that Garcia crammed out varieties purporting the weapons have been for her, whereas Beasley watched. Surveillance video from the shop exhibits the 2 there.
In April 2022, a federal decide denied a protection movement to dismiss the costs, which argued that as a result of the federal government had did not protect the timestamps on the surveillance video, the defendants’ constitutional rights to due course of had been violated.
Beasley, 40, is an Oakland native whose rap profession began in 2007. He rose to prominence regardless of a scarcity of airplay on conventional media, like radio and MTV, and continues to place out songs which can be streamed and downloaded tens of millions of instances. He’s additionally been an outspoken youth mentor who talks about his personal felony historical past and rising up in Seminary in East Oakland to dissuade others from taking place the improper path.
Whereas rumors of heavy involvement in felony exercise have appeared to observe Beasley all through his profession, his precise felony file is minimal. He has no grownup felony convictions in Alameda County, and his final high-profile arrest got here practically a decade in the past, when San Francisco police booked him for allegedly driving a stolen Bentley whereas on probation for gun expenses. In social media posts, he stated the Bentley was his.