What led to Boosie Badazz' guilty plea in his federal gun case? Arrest details and past rulings explained

Rapper Boosie Badazz, whose real name is Torence Ivy Hatch Jr., has pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge. The case began after he was arrested in San Diego in May 2023 while filming a music video and performing at a nightclub. Authorities say police found two guns in a vehicle he was riding in.

The 42-year-old rapper has had several legal issues in the past. His latest case has moved from state prosecutors to the federal system because of legal rulings and appeals. Boosie announced earlier this month on social media that he accepted a plea deal from the federal government.

The sentencing is set for November in San Diego federal court. Boosie’s lawyers had earlier expected probation in a state case, but the shift to federal court changed the legal outcome.

Boosie Badazz' arrest and charges

As reported by Complex, he was first arrested in May 2023 in Chollas View, San Diego. Police said he appeared in a social media video with a gun in his waistband. Officers used a helicopter to track his car and later stopped the vehicle. During the search, police found two firearms inside.

He was then charged by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. Boosie Badazz’s defense team said at the time that he planned to plead guilty and receive probation. However, before the plea could move forward, the state case was dismissed.

Soon after, federal prosecutors decided to take over the case. This meant Boosie Badazz was facing a new legal process under federal law, which often carries stricter consequences for gun charges.

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Court rulings and legal shifts

As reported by Courthouse News, the case took a turn in 2024 because of a major legal ruling. U.S. District Judge Cathy Bencivengo dismissed the charges in 2023 after a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision.

That earlier ruling said it was unconstitutional to stop felons with nonviolent drug offenses from owning guns. Boosie Badazz had been convicted in Louisiana of marijuana possession, which made him a felon.

But that decision did not last long. A larger panel of the same court later overturned it. The new ruling said the federal ban on felons possessing firearms was constitutional. This opened the door for prosecutors to re-file charges against Hatch.

Federal prosecutors quickly brought the case back. Boosie Badazz then chose to plead guilty earlier this month, ending a long series of legal delays. His sentencing will now depend on how the federal court weighs his past record and the details of this case.

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Boosie Badazz’s guilty plea came after more than a year of legal twists involving state and federal courts. His case was shaped by changing rulings from the appeals court and decisions by prosecutors. What began as a state charge with the possibility of probation has now turned into a federal case with more serious penalties. The final outcome will be decided when he is sentenced in November.

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