Boosie Badazz Goes Free After Judge Sentences Him to No Prison on Gun Charge: ‘I’m Just Grateful’

Rapper Boosie Badazz walks free after judge sentences him to no prison time on gun charge, citing gratitude.

In a San Diego federal court hearing last week, rapper Torence "Boosie Badazz" Hatch was sentenced to time served, along with three years of supervised release and a $50,000 fine, for illegally owning a gun despite having several felony convictions.

The light sentence comes after Boosie struck a plea deal in August, following his guilty plea on gun possession charges. The federal government had initially recommended a two-year prison term, but Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo has opted for a more lenient punishment.

Boosie expressed gratitude at the sentencing hearing, stating, "I'm blessed not to be in prison right now." He also mentioned that he planned to accelerate touring and artistic projects stalled during his case, with the goal of "getting on with my life."

The details surrounding Boosie's arrest were unusual. Authorities used a helicopter to track him after spotting a handgun in his waistband, following a tip about an Instagram post from a known gang member in San Diego.

Following years of procedural ups and downs, the case against Boosie was initially scheduled for trial last summer but was settled upon a plea deal in August with a two-year sentence promised by prosecutors. The judge cited Boosie's "difficult upbringing," which he believed contributed to his current predicament.

Boosie's lawyers had requested no prison time at all, just two years of probation, citing that the gun possession was an isolated lapse in judgment and not indicative of ongoing criminal behavior.

The rapper has since expressed interest in seeking a pardon from former President Donald Trump, for which he has hired lobbyists.

omg I dont get why hes walking free like what happened with the gang member tho? they were just chillin on instagram and it led to him getting caught with a gun also wut does "difficult upbringing" even mean?? is that like a thing now where judges use that as an excuse for bad behavior? idk I just think he should have gotten some real time, like two years sounds way too easy for owning a gun

omg what's good with this sentence tho?! like 3 yrs supervised release is still harsh considering he got lucky and didn't end up in the slammer and $50k fine is straight fire i mean boosie had felony convictions and was lowkey carrying a gun but judge bencivengo gave him the ol' pass now he's free to get back to touring and makin music, so that's all good in my book

can't believe his luck ! 3 years supervised release and a $50k fine? it's crazy how the system works sometimes... i mean, what's to say he won't just get back in with some gang members now that he's "free"? and what about all those other felons who got stiffed hard? seems like a pretty weak sentence to me

idk what to think about this lol... seems like Boosie dodged a bullet with only supervised release . i mean, 3 yrs of prob and $50k fine is def not harsh but idk if it's enough considering his past tho . but honestly, 2yrs in prison would've been way harsher . think about all the ppl who get locked up for less & this guy gets off scot free... still grateful for the early release tho

I gotta say, Boosie's lawyer really "shot" himself in the foot with that 'difficult upbringing' excuse . I mean, it's like saying "sorry, your crime was just a minor setback due to my troubled past... and also because I'm famous". On the bright side, he's free to get back to his music and touring, which is more than I can say for my Spotify subscription, which is still stuck on repeat .

I dont get it ... like, what's the big deal? he got caught with a gun, should've done some time, but now its all good I guess? i mean, i know his lawyers said he was just having a bad day or something, and that he's been through a lot in his life. maybe that is true , but still, you cant just carry around a gun and expect to get off scot free... thats like, basic common sense right?

ugh i dont get it why do we need to be so lenient with people who can still harm others with guns? seems like the whole system is just trying to let him slide

I gotta say, Boosie's case is kinda crazy. I mean, you're thinking he'd be locked up for years, but the judge decided to give him a break. Three years of supervised release and a $50k fine might seem like a lot, but considering his past is pretty rough, it's actually pretty generous.

I think what really stood out was how Boosie reacted during the sentencing hearing. He was genuinely grateful and seemed to appreciate the opportunity to move on with his life. It's all about perspective, right? And hey, he's still got a long way to go, but at least he's taking steps in the right direction.

It's interesting that his lawyers went for zero prison time, too. I guess they really believed it was just an isolated incident and not part of some bigger pattern. Only time will tell if Boosie stays on track!

I'm kinda torn on this one . On one hand, I get where the judge is coming from - Boosie did have several felony convictions and you'd think that would warrant some harsher punishment. But at the same time, I feel like the circumstances of his arrest were pretty wild (using a helicopter to track him down? ) and it's not like he posed an immediate threat to anyone. And let's be real, the guy did express gratitude in court and said he wanted to get back to making music - seems like he's taking responsibility for his actions.

Plus, it's been a long and winding road for Boosie, with all these ups and downs, so I hope this light sentence will allow him to move forward and focus on his art again. But at the same time, I wish there was more clarity around how this judge reached her decision - did she really think he posed no threat?

im not sure about this sentence ... i mean, i get that the guy's been through tough times growing up & all, but 3 years of supervised release feels kinda lenient to me . like, i know we gotta show mercy & all, but at the same time, he's still a convicted felon with a history of guns . maybe it was a plea deal negotiation or something? i don't know, just seems a bit unusual to me...

I'm thinking about this whole thing, man... it's like, what's going on here? The judge is giving Boosie a slap on the wrist, and people are gonna say it's because of his "difficult upbringing". But let me ask you, isn't that just code for 'he's got too many prior convictions to send him away'? I mean, we all know that in this country, felons have a right to be treated with some level of dignity. The problem is, the system is so backlogged and corrupt sometimes, it feels like they're playing games with people's lives.

And what about the $50,000 fine? That's a pretty steep price tag for a guy who's been through the wringer like Boosie has. Can't we just focus on rehabilitation instead of punishment? I'm not saying he deserves to be free or anything, but the sentence feels really light. I mean, if you're gonna keep someone in check, it should be with some level of accountability. And what's up with this plea deal business? It's like they're trying to sweep things under the rug. It's gotta make people wonder... is it about justice or just politics?

idk why judge cathy ann benctvngo is being lowkey adorbs tho she literally just gave boosie badazz a free pass to get back to making music and performing, like, what's next? he gets to come out of prison looking all fresh and clean cut and then seeks pardon from trump? sounds like he's gonna be all good

Man, I feel like Boosie dodged a bullet here . Three years of supervised release and $50k fine is definitely lighter than expected . I get where the judge was coming from tho - gotta consider his "difficult upbringing" . But still, it's crazy that he just happened to be carrying a gun around in public . I'm not sure if seeking a pardon from Trump is gonna help him out though . Can't say I blame him for wanting to get back on tour and focus on his art tho

idk why judge didnt give him more time considering his history , like, hes got multiple felony convictions... what's the point of even having them if not to hold people accountable? and now its just a slap on the wrist for owning a gun? i mean, thats some messed up logic right there

I'm so hyped for Boosie Badazz right now ! He's literally been through the wringer with all those felony convictions and yet he comes out on top with just time served? That's a total blessing, fam . I mean, it's not like he didn't mess up - owning a gun as a felon is definitely a no-no - but to get a second chance like this? It's straight fire . And honestly, who can blame him for being grateful and wanting to just move on with his life? He's got the opportunity now to focus on his music and art, which is amazing . I wish everyone could have a Boosie Badazz moment - you know, where they get a second chance and are able to turn their lives around .

I feel kinda mixed about this whole thing ... on one hand, I think it's great that Boosie got to turn his life around and not have to spend more time behind bars . He's been through a lot and had some rough years, so it's awesome he gets another chance . But at the same time, having a gun is super serious business, especially with all those felony convictions he has on his record ... I'm not sure I agree with the judge letting him off scot-free, even if he did express gratitude . Maybe they could've found a middle ground, like community service or something? Anyways, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how things play out for Boosie ...

I gotta say, this is wild . I mean, you're talking about Boosie Badazz getting off scot-free after basically owning up to his mistake and showing remorse. It's not like he was trying to hide anything or deny the charges. And now he's just gonna use his "difficult upbringing" as an excuse for everything? It's a bit convenient, if you ask me .

And what's with the helicopter chase though? Like, that's some crazy stuff right there . I mean, I get it, authorities want to catch felons and all that, but did they really need to use a helicopter to track down Boosie? It feels like overkill to me .

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve a second chance or anything, but two years of supervised release and a $50k fine just seems too lenient to me . And now he's planning on using his pardon bid as some kinda PR stunt? Like, come on Boosie, show us you're really changed .

And I gotta wonder, what exactly did he do wrong here again? Was it just a one-time mistake or is this part of some larger pattern we don't know about?

Wow this is wild how his lawyers were able to talk him down from a 2-year sentence to basically no jail time at all...I mean I get that the judge took into account his "difficult upbringing" but still $50k fine and supervised release isn't too shabby, I guess. Interesting that he's already looking for a pardon from Trump

OMG u guys I'm literally shaking rn Boosie got off scot free like what even is the point of having felony convictions if ur just gonna do some dumb stunt with a gun and get away with it? he's all about that "difficult upbringing" excuse tho, but I'm not buying it. Three years supervised release and a $50k fine is NOT punishment, it's more like community service . And can we talk about the helicopter thing?! Who uses a helicopter to track someone down? That's wild .