XXXTentacion Receives Seven New Charges, Will Await Trial in Jail

The new charges stem from witness tampering and might send the rapper to prison for decades.

December 15, 2017

via Miami-Dade Corrections

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Update 4:30 p.m. Reached via phone, the rapper's lawyer, J. David Bogenschutz, confirmed that the state attorney's office had been "looking into the validity" of the female victim's recent statement to the court, but said he had not yet been fully briefed on the new charges.

"We're filing a petition for reconsideration," Bogenschutz said. "As of right now the court order stands, and he's in custody."

He then bragged that, when XXXTentacion entered the Miami-Dade courthose today, a crowd of young fans greeted the rapper. This might be somewhat concerning, given the horrifying allegations in the case.
Bogenschutz also said the rapper's next EP was slated for huge-selling first-week sales.

Things are not looking bright for XXXtentacion.

The rapper was denied bail and sent to jail following a hearing in a Miami-Dade County courtroom this morning. Prosecutors in the 2016 assault case added seven new felony charges, all reportedly having to do with witness tampering and harassment.

Originally, the rapper, whose real name is Jahseh Onfroy, faced four counts, including aggravated battery of a pregnant woman and witness tampering, to which he pled not guilty.

The new charges come after the defense submitted a document signed by the victim with a request from her to drop the charges against Onfroy. She also declared that she did not want to testify. But prosecutors doubted the validity of the affidavit. The new witness tampering allegation carries severe penalties. Overall, if the charges are confirmed,. Omfroy could face life in prison.

In other news, the rapper wrote on Instagram that an "Anti-Rape" event he was supposed to host during Art Basel after he booked a venue and released the address, then the building was vandalized with spray paint.

He promised to reschedule and hold a free concert for fans as an apology, but it looks like both of those plans will have to wait while the rapper sits in jail, awaiting trial.

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Douglas Markowitz has covered art and music in South Florida for nearly a decade, with stories published by Resident Advisor, the Miami Herald, the Sun Sentinel, Artburst, Burnaway, and principally the Miami New Times, where he interned in 2017. In 2023 he was named a finalist for the Knight-Esserman Journalism Award. He is a University of North Florida graduate and former culture editor at the Phoenix New Times.

Contact: Douglas Markowitz

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