Mississippi rapper KayNine was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in his drug trafficking case for being a felon in possession of more than 25 firearms.
The rapper, whose real name is Sternell Johnson, pleaded guilty in April 2021 after he and two other male suspects led the police on a high-speed chase in 2020.
A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of more than 25 firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. After crashing the vehicle, KayNine ran away but law enforcement was able to recover three guns and multiple large bags of marijuana.
Authorities referenced KayNine's social media posts, interviews, and music videos to connect him to the firearms and marijuana discovered in the vehicle. The rapper was eventually tied to more than 25 guns during the police's investigation.
"The Drug Enforcement Administration is proud to partner with the Lamar County Sheriff's Office and the Hattiesburg Police Department to help combat the illicit narcotics activities and violent crimes occurring in the community," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin J. Gaddy. "The key to having a safe community is strong partnerships and interagency cooperation amongst all law enforcement agencies. I feel we have that in Hattiesburg."
Source: Department of Justice
