A New York grand jury indicted Lil Zay Osama for possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm on Wednesday (January 24). If convicted, he faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Lil Zay Osama, whose real name is Isaiah Dukes, was arrested on weapons charges in 2022. The Chicago-bred rapper allegedly left a loaded Glock pistol with a switch in a rideshare vehicle following a ride from Manhattan to Queens.
“As alleged, Dukes brought a machine gun into our District, and then dangerously left it in the back of a rideshare,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said. “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work diligently to protect our communities from such dangerous weapons.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban added, “[Lil Zay Osama’s] indictment is a stark reminder that loaded, illegal firearms – sometimes modified to maximize their deadly potential, as alleged in this case – continue to be brought into and carried throughout New York City. Let me be clear: This behavior will not be tolerated here, and the NYPD vows to keep our streets safe from guns and anyone who unlawfully possesses them. I commend and thank the rideshare driver who observed this weapon for doing what we always ask of all New Yorkers: He saw something and he said something, and he possibly saved lives in the process.”
Lil Zay Osama will be arraigned at a later date since he’s currently in custody on unrelated charges in Illinois. He was arrested following a police chase in December 2023.
Police busted the 26-year-old artist while investigating an armed robbery. He was charged with possession of a loaded machine gun, theft of stolen goods valued between $10,000 and $100,000, and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.