A Virginia rapper who used a photo of himself at the Jan. 6 insurrection on the Capitol to cover his album “The Capital,” was sentenced to five months in prison by a federal judge Monday, according to WUSA9. He was arrested on March 11 after authorities found out about the cover art.
In the image, Bugzie is shown smoking a blunt atop an SUV as the riot heightens around him.
The rapper, whose real name is Antionne Brodnax, pled guilty to four misdemeanor counts after rejecting a plea deal in October 2021. Prosecutors asked that he spend 21 months in prison due to his criminal record, as the 39-year-old’s history includes prior felony convictions in Virginia and Maryland for manufacturing a controlled substance and possessing a firearm as a person convicted of a felon.
Similarly, the Justice Department said that Brodnax deserved an extended sentence for deleting evidence from his phone after saying he would send photos and videos of the attack to the FBI. U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled that the rapper had willfully obstructed the administration of justice on Monday.
“He’s had a problem historically with following conditions imposed upon him,” Friedman said, referring to Brodnax’s criminal record and the fact that he was on probation for another crime when he entered the Capitol on Jan. 6.
The rapper’s attorney, Mary Maguire, argued for a probationary sentence followed by a period of home detention. She described Brodnax as a “great community asset” and entrepreneur as he started his own clothing line and music label.
In the end, Brodnax was ordered to serve five months in prison followed by a year of supervised release.
