Boosie Badazz is heading into a pivotal federal sentencing hearing in San Diego, where prosecutors are reportedly asking a judge to give the Baton Rouge rap veteran a two-year prison term on a gun possession charge, even as he publicly lobbies Donald Trump for a presidential pardon. According to court filings and recent reports, the sentencing stems from a federal felon-in-possession case tied to a 2023 arrest, with Boosie’s legal team urging the court to impose probation instead of prison time.[1][2]
The case dates back to June 2023, when San Diego police allegedly identified Boosie, born Torence Hatch, holding a firearm on Instagram Live before stopping his vehicle and recovering two loaded 9mm handguns.[2] Federal authorities later charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and after an initial indictment was dismissed on procedural grounds, a new indictment was filed in July 2024.[2] Boosie ultimately accepted a plea deal in August 2025, pleading guilty to a single felon-in-possession count while a second firearm charge was dismissed as part of the agreement.[1][2]
In competing sentencing memoranda, Boosie’s attorney, Meghan Blanco, has asked the court for two years of structured probation and 300 hours of community service, arguing that the incident was a nonviolent, isolated lapse in judgment after nearly a decade without criminal conduct.[2] Federal prosecutors, however, have recommended a 24‑month prison sentence plus supervised release, a term that is reportedly below the 46 months suggested by federal probation officials.[1][2] Prosecutors acknowledged mitigating factors, including his guilty plea, difficult upbringing, and continued employment, but also highlighted his extensive criminal history involving prior assault, firearms, drug, and resisting-arrest convictions.[2]
As the sentencing approaches, Boosie has taken the unusual step of mounting a public clemency campaign aimed at Donald Trump. According to AllHipHop, he retained Washington, D.C. lobbying firm J.M. Burkman & Associates to seek a presidential pardon and has used social media to directly urge Trump to review his case, claiming that state charges were dismissed before the U.S. Department of Justice brought the federal indictment.[1] On outlets like The Breakfast Club, he has said he remains confident he will avoid prison, while still acknowledging that his fate ultimately rests with the judge.[1]
The outcome of Boosie Badazz’s federal gun case carries weight beyond one artist’s legal fate, underscoring the longstanding collision between hip-hop, gun laws, and federal sentencing for convicted felons. As a respected Southern rap figure with a devoted fan base and a lengthy, highly public legal history, any prison term—or lack thereof—will influence how his next career chapter unfolds and may further shape ongoing conversations about celebrity, criminal records, and clemency in hip-hop culture.[1][2]
