Boosie Badazz’s plea was heard and he will not be going to prison. The rapper, whose real name is Torence Ivy Hatch Jr., was sentenced in federal court this week after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Instead of being incarcerated, the judge decided that he would serve out his sentence in a different way. The sentencing closes a case that had followed him for more than a year.
At the hearing, the judge rejected prosecutors’ request for prison time and imposed an alternative sentence focused on supervision rather than confinement. According to Hot New Hip Hop, Boosie was sentenced to three years of supervised release, 300 hours of community service, a $50,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 assessment fee. As part of the conditions, he is not allowed to possess any weapons during the supervision period.
The ruling came after Boosie’s legal team argued that prison would amount to “unnecessary incarceration” for what they described as a nonviolent offense. They stressed that the case involved no injuries, no victims, and no allegations of violent conduct.
🚨 UPDATE: Boosie’s Federal Case Outcome 🚨
Congrats are in order Boosie has avoided federal prison time in his San Diego gun case.
📌 Sentence Details:
•⏱️ Time Served
•💰 $50,000 Fine
•🤝 300 Hours of Community Service
Boosie walks away without additional jail time,… pic.twitter.com/VMx0ac0BBm
— Cousin Tino ™️ (@TINOISFUNNY) January 9, 2026
On the other hand, federal prosecutors pushed for a 24-month prison sentence. In court filings, they argued that gun possession by a convicted felon is a serious offense and that he needed to go to prison. They claimed incarceration was best even while acknowledging that there were several mitigating factors in Hatch’s background.
The case dates back to June 2023, when San Diego police identified Boosie in an Instagram Live video allegedly showing him with a firearm. Officers later stopped a vehicle he was riding in and recovered two loaded 9mm handguns.
Authorities said Boosie initially denied possessing any weapons. DNA evidence later linked him to both firearms, which prosecutors said were purchased in Georgia by his girlfriend. No one was injured during the incident, and the case was not connected to any violent crime.
After procedural issues led to an earlier indictment being dismissed, federal prosecutors refiled the case in 2024. Boosie ultimately accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty in August 2025 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. A second charge was dropped as part of the agreement.
Boosie’s lawyer Meghan Blanco sent me this photo of her with Boosie and friends and family, including his mother, outside the San Diego federal courthouse after a judge allowed him to avoid prison for his gun conviction. pic.twitter.com/hb9rN5bSTh
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) January 9, 2026
In a sentencing memorandum submitted ahead of the hearing, reports The Express Tribune, Boosie asked the court for probation instead of prison. His attorneys argued the incident reflected a single lapse in judgment rather than a pattern of criminal behavior, noting that he had gone roughly a decade without new convictions before the arrest.
The filing also cited Boosie’s upbringing, including exposure to domestic violence, the death of his father, and struggles with substance use at a young age. Prosecutors acknowledged those factors while also pointing to his extensive criminal history. The “Crazy singer has prior convictions involving assault, drugs, firearms, and resisting arrest.
But importantly, both sides agreed on one point: the gun offense itself was nonviolent and resulted in no identifiable victims.
Boosie’s attorneys also said he was carrying a firearm out of fear for his personal safety following a previous shooting incident in Texas. The court did not accept that justification but ultimately sided with a sentence centered on accountability rather than incarceration.
With the sentencing now complete, the legal chapter is officially closed, though the rapper will remain under strict federal supervision for the next three years.
