Breaking: Judge Sentences A Tearful DMX To A Year In The Bing For $2.2 Million Tax Evasion

Hot 97’s Summerjam 2017 at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey – Performances
Featuring: DMX
Where: East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States
When: 11 Jun 2017
Credit: WENN.com

Rapper’s Emotional Pleas Didn’t Put Judge Off Prison Time

A Federal Court Judge has sentenced DMX to one year in federal prison for not paying his taxes for six years and racking up a $2.2 million debt to Uncle Sam.

Judge Jed Rakoff said that a “modest” prison sentence would be a fair punishment for the 90s rapper’s “brazen” tax fraud while sending a message to others considering committing the same crimes.

“In the the court’s view, Mr. Simmons is a good man,” Judge Jed Rakoff said. (But) in many ways he’s his own worst enemy.”

The one year is considerably less than the the five years the prosecution argued for, however it is much more than what the defense wanted, which included rehab and government trusteeship of DMX’s finances.

Not even a tearful plea from the Dark Man X himself would sway the judge from prison time.

“I have a one-year-old son and it’s difficult for my fiancé to take care of him because he has a medical condition,” DMX told Judge Rakoff. “I was in a cloud. I wasn’t thinking straight. More than that, I wasn’t thinking at all.”

DMX said he took full responsibility for not paying his taxes, and said he hired people to look after his finances, but never followed up. But he begged the judge for mercy, saying that he already had a tour lined up to celebrate the 20 years since his debut album, “It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot,” came out in order to pay the $2.2 million back.

“When I was given chances at pretrial, I didn’t really know how serious it was,” DMX, noticeably heavier in his navy blue jumpsuit, said. “It did happen, and it woke me up. I was already starting to think I’m getting too old for the things I’m doing.”

During the hearing, his lawyer, Stacy Richman played DMX’s 2007 autobiographical hit, “Slippin” to illustrate his talent, his childhood marred by abuse and how his music touched his fans.

It was unclear Wednesday whether DMX would get credit for the nearly two months he’s spent in jail for violating his bail terms.

The court was packed with DMX’s family, fans, lawyers and the media. Once the judge read out his sentence, DMX smiled at his supporters and flashed a peace sign as the U.S. Marshals led him back to the cells.