Boosie Badazz is heading into a high-stakes federal sentencing hearing in San Diego, where prosecutors are asking a judge to give the Baton Rouge rapper two years in prison on a gun possession charge, even as he publicly campaigns for a pardon from former president Donald Trump. According to AllHipHop, Boosie, born Torence Hatch, is set to be sentenced on a felon-in-possession firearm conviction, with federal authorities recommending 24 months behind bars and three years of supervised release after his plea deal on the case.[1][3]
The federal case stems from a 2023 traffic stop in the San Diego area, when police pulled over a vehicle Boosie was riding in and recovered firearms inside.[1][3] Prosecutors say the incident led to a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, following earlier state charges that were later dismissed while the U.S. Department of Justice chose to move forward under federal law.[1] Boosie reportedly accepted a plea deal in August 2025, pleading guilty to one count in exchange for another firearm charge being dropped.[1][2]
Boosie’s legal team, led by attorney Meghan Blanco, is urging the court to spare him prison time and instead impose probation. According to court filings cited by Rolling Stone and summarized by international outlets, the defense is asking for two years of structured probation and 300 hours of community service, arguing that the offense was nonviolent, isolated, and did not result in any injuries or identified victims.[2][3] Prosecutors, however, have highlighted Boosie’s extensive criminal history — including prior convictions related to assault, firearms, drugs, and resisting arrest — while still acknowledging mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, difficult upbringing, continued employment, and lack of victims in the gun case.[2][3]
Off the courtroom floor, Boosie has turned his sentencing into a national talking point by appealing directly to Donald Trump. According to AllHipHop, the 42-year-old rapper has hired Washington, D.C.–based lobbying firm J.M. Burkman & Associates to petition Trump for a presidential pardon, and he has posted on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that his state case was dismissed before President Joe Biden’s DOJ recharged him federally on the same conduct.[1] Trump’s prior clemency for artists like Lil Wayne and Kodak Black during his term has made Boosie’s request a closely watched storyline in hip-hop and political circles.[1]
As Boosie awaits the judge’s decision, the case sits at the intersection of rap, criminal justice, and presidential politics. The outcome will not only determine whether the “Wipe Me Down” rapper returns to prison, but also add a new chapter to the ongoing conversation about how the federal system handles gun cases involving high-profile Black entertainers — especially those willing to tie their fate to Trump-era pardon politics.[1][3]
