Splash Zanotti and two other Florida rappers have all entered not guilty pleas to federal charges in connection with a violent home invasion robbery and kidnapping in which one of the victims was sexually assaulted.
Splash Zanotti, whose real name is Kejuan Campbell, as well as Antoine "Yung Fokiss" James and Dionte Alexander-Wilcox, aka Trapsavage45, all entered not guilty pleas at their arraignment hearing before a U.S. Magistrate Judge this week, court records show. Their next court date has not yet been set.
Last month, federal prosecutors secured a nine-count indictment against the trio, charging them with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, two additional kidnapping counts, as well as multiple counts of gun possession and bank robbery. They all face a potential life sentence if convicted of the kidnapping count alone.
The charges, as described in the criminal complaint, stem from a string of crimes over a two-day period in Miramar, Florida last October. It started when the three allegedly showed up at a local couple's home and demanded to speak with "Anthony," their nephew, who they hadn't seen in years.
What followed, according to federal prosecutors, was a series of violent crimes that included a rape of the woman in the home, and several failed attempts to extort $20,000 from the couple before they were allegedly finally successful. The group claimed Anthony owed them the money and they had showed up at the house to collect.
Along the way, they allegedly made a series of blunders, including leaving DNA at the home, that led to their arrest on federal charges last December.
Authorities allege that after using a ruse to enter the home, the group of masked gunmen assaulted the couple, forced them to the floor, and held them at gunpoint. Splash Zanotti then allegedly forced the husband to write several checks totaling $20,000, then went around town to various check cash businesses trying -- and failing -- to get the money. Along the way, he allegedly used his real name, date of birth, and social security number.
Having failed, the group decided to spend the night at the couple's home and helped themselves to food and liquor, authorities allege. During the night, while Splash Zanotti escorted the husband outside to smoke a cigarette, one of the others allegedly raped the woman in her bed. Authorities say TrapSavage45's semen was found there but she identified Young Fokiss as the man who sexually assaulted her.
The next day, after several more failed attempts, they allegedly got the woman to convince her bank to allow her to withdraw $20,000 in cash. After stealing clothes, liquor, and jewelry from the home, they left, authorities allege.
Later on, Young Fokiss allegedly took a video of the stolen cash, but reassured the others, "Don't worry. l ain't posting this." The FBI later obtained the video. Authorities also used images of the defendants posing with guns on Instagram as evidence against them, according to court records.
Written by Nate Gartrell
