JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville rapper Spinabenz pleaded guilty to tampering charges Wednesday. Prosecutors are seeking 12 months in prison, while his attorneys are asking that sentenced to time served, meaning he would be free to go home.
The rapper, whose real name is Noah Williams, is best known for his feature on the viral song "Who I Smoke," with Yungeen Ace and FastMoney Goon A disturbing twist on Vanessa Carlton’s 2001 pop hit “A Thousand Miles, the hook of the song is Ace naming rival Jacksonville gang members who were killed.
He was charged for tampering with his ankle monitor. At the time, he was facing up to 30 years on gun charges -- his alleged gang affiliation allowed prosecutors to increase the sentence.
He was found not guilty during his trial for the gun charges, but the tampering charges remained outstanding.
On August 29, Williams removed his ankle monitor and was off the grid for 52 minutes. He drove himself home after a friend called to tell him police were looking for him, according to his arrest warrant.
He presented the monitor to a police officer, who secured it back on.
After this incident, Williams was taken into custody and kept in Duval County Jail for over a month leading up to his trial.
When an officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arrived at Williams' home, a friend called Williams to tell him that police were looking for him, the warrant said. Williams said at this point, he "looked down at his leg and saw the GPS monitor was no longer on his leg."
The officer said that while Williams claimed ignorance, one of the pin trays on the monitor was broken. "It takes a significant and noticeable amount of force for a GPS monitor to break loose from someone in the manner like William's's violation," he wrote in the arrest warrant.
Williams will return to court on June 2 for his sentencing.
