Rapper Boosie Badazz, legally Torence Hatch, was sentenced Friday to time served, three years of supervised release, a $50,000 fine and 300 hours of community service for possessing a firearm as a felon—lighter than prosecutors' two-year prison recommendation—in San Diego federal court.
Boosie Badazz appeared before U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo on January 9, 2026, for sentencing after pleading guilty in August 2025 to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. The case stemmed from a June 2023 incident in a gang-associated San Diego neighborhood, where police monitoring Instagram Live video of a known gang member spotted a handgun in Hatch's waistband. Officers tracked his vehicle by helicopter, conducted a traffic stop, and recovered a loaded 9mm Glock 19 from the back seat and a 9mm Springfield Hellcat with seven rounds handed over by his security. Hatch's DNA was found on both weapons, which his girlfriend had purchased in Georgia.
Prosecutors recommended two years in prison, citing Hatch's guilty plea alongside his difficult childhood—witnessing domestic violence, his father's death from a brain tumor, and marijuana use starting at age eight. Federal probation officials proposed 46 months, but the judge showed leniency, closely aligning with the defense's request for probation and service. Had he gone to trial, Hatch faced up to 15 years. His lawyer, Meghan Blanco, called it a 'lapse in judgment' after a 10-year gap in criminal activity, triggered by a shooting in Texas that left him feeling vulnerable. Hatch, a father of nine, has prior convictions including assault, drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession, notably 2011 drug charges.
An initial indictment was dismissed on procedural grounds, with a superseding one returned in July 2024. On August 4, 2025, Hatch posted on X about accepting the plea, asking fans to pray and promote his new album. In a post-sentencing video, he expressed relief: “I’m blessed not to be in prison right now... I’m just grateful right now.” Blanco stated: “The outcome allows Mr. Hatch to move ahead with his life, continue his music career, and remain a positive influence on his children and the broader community. We are all very grateful.” Hatch plans to resume touring and has hired lobbyists to pursue a pardon from President Donald Trump.
