CNS –
Known as “Migo Lee”—a well-known rapper from Washington, D.C.—was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison on Thursday for his involvement in a violent drug trafficking ring that ran outdoor markets in Northwest D.C.
After pleading guilty to counts of narcotics conspiracy, weapons possession, and assault with a dangerous weapon, 23-year-old Khali Ahmed Brown was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell.
His leadership position in the notoriously violent Kennedy Street Crew (KDY) led to the accusations. Prosecutors characterized KDY as one of the most prominent and long-standing street crews in the District.
After becoming famous for rap songs in which he mocked rival gang members, Brown confessed to his role in a plot to distribute narcotics, marijuana, and oxycodone. He was also found guilty of the shooting that occurred near Jackson-Reed High School in November 2022.
The real Khali Ahmed Brown, better known as “Migo Lee”
The Department of Justice stated in court documents that the defendant “generally” glorifies violence in his videos. He uses the KDY crew’s slogan, “young and violent,” to describe himself, and he also refers to himself as part of “Seal Team 6” or “ST6,” which suggests the use of military tactics to eliminate opponents. His “diss” music videos, in which he mocks and, in some cases, murders members of rival crews, have made him famous.
His fame as a rapper only served to heighten the power and brutality of the crew. Brown, who went by the stage name “Migo Lee,” made music videos that glorified violence and mocked rival crew members, making fun of some of them who had been killed. One video he made in 2019 was called “Broke/Dead Opps,” and it was a parody of a rival crew member’s shooting death.
Because Brown was the “leading public face” of KDY, federal prosecutors wanted to jail him for over 18 years. Neighbors were terrified as a result of the crew’s drug markets, which they ran along an 11-block section of Kennedy Street and the neighboring districts.
This rap video by “Migo Lee” was created by the Department of Justice.
According to court records, from 2019 to 2023, when Brown was involved with the group, there were five homicides that resulted in seven deaths, six more wounded victims, and nineteen assaults with lethal weapons.
“You take a gun to a public school, where parents send their children to be safe, and you have a shootout like the wild west?” The school event was expressed by Judge Howell at sentencing, who expressed his dismay.
“Migo Lee” is shown with drugs and money.
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Brown was involved in more than just drug peddling on the street. According to the prosecution, he was instrumental in the smuggling of large amounts of marijuana from the West Coast to the area around Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, where the crew’s operations were funded by substantial profits.
Brown and co-defendant Tristan Ware (aka “Greedy”) continued to appear in a music video displaying firearms even after authorities searched his apartment and arrested multiple crew members in early 2023.
Brown apologized after punishment and highlighted his efforts to reform while in prison, which included getting his degrees and certification in telecommunications.
My mistake is obvious to me. “Mistakes are made by everyone,” Brown informed the judge. I was aware of my surroundings when I was out on the streets, therefore I refuse to call it an accident. “However, I was never on Kennedy Street with the intent to harm anybody.”
Judge Howell criticized the ineffectiveness of the juvenile justice system and pointed out that this was Brown’s first adult conviction despite his eight prior arrests while he was a juvenile.
“There have been eight prior arrests involving you. “Perhaps you wouldn’t be here today if one of those arrests had stuck and you had been penalized,” Howell remarked.
The narcotics conspiracy charges carried a 108-month sentence, while the firearms charges carried a 60-month consecutive term, for a total of 14 years in prison. Following his release from prison, Brown will be subject to five years of supervised release.
After Brown’s mental health and drug abuse treatment were ordered by the judge, the judge also suggested that he participate in the Residential Drug Abuse Program run by the Bureau of Prisons, which, if completed, could result in a reduction in his sentence. Although his weapons convictions might prohibit assignment to a low-security institution, she nonetheless suggested FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey as a possible location.
The sentence of Brown is a major win for the District’s law enforcement in their fight against drug trafficking and the violence that goes along with it. Keion Michael Brown, his younger brother, was also given a 147-month sentence (a little over 12 years) and five years of supervised release on Thursday.
The prosecution focused on leaders and important members of the KDY street crew, which is one of the oldest, biggest, and most aggressive street crews in our community, according to U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “With these guilty pleas, every defendant charged in connection with this investigation has now pled guilty to charges that will ensure that they will be removed from, and no longer driving violence in, our community.”