Casanova Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Racketeering and Narcotics Offenses

Rapper Casanova was handed down his sentence Tuesday after being arrested two years ago on gang-related and racketeering offenses.

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a press release that the rapper, whose real name is Caswell Senior, was sentenced to 188 months (or over 15 years) in prison for racketeering and narcotics offenses arising out of his leadership role in the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang. He initially faced 60 years in prison.

“Caswell Senior is not just a notorious recording artist, but he is also a high-profile leader of a vicious street gang and a magnet for gang violence.  At a crowded Miami house party, Senior personally fired a gun that seriously injured and could have killed a victim, inciting a shootout.  Further, Senior’s stature in the community was central to Gorilla Stone’s successful recruitment and nationwide expansion. Today’s sentencing — along with the other significant sentences that have been imposed in this case — shows once again that gang life is not worth it and will lead to many years in prison,” Williams said.

Casanova pleaded guilty in January after being indicted in December 2020 on the aforementioned charges. As part of his plea, the rapper admitted to being involved in a Florida shooting in July 2020 and a robbery in New York City in 2018. Additionally, he confessed to trafficking more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.

Over a dozen alleged gang members were named in the sweeping indictment. He is the 12th defendant in the Gorilla Stone case to have been sentenced.