Drill rapper Kay Flock, whose real name is Kevin Perez, has been described by his attorneys as having an “intellectual disability,” which they argue makes it unlikely he could lead a violent gang responsible for gun violence in the Bronx. A convicted gangster was sentenced to prison for decades on Tuesday.
The lawyers presented their case to a federal judge in Manhattan, advocating for a lighter sentence for the 22-year-old artist known for the song “PSA.” They claimed that the prosecution’s main witness, a fellow gang member, was the one who “managed” Flock’s actions, despite the serious nature of the charges against him.
However, federal officials dismissed this argument as a “blatant attempt” by Flock to avoid accountability. According to a prosecutor from the Southern District of New York, “He was the one who led the charges on the street, not the other way around.”
Federal authorities have recommended a 50-year prison term for Flock in connection with gang-related shootings in the Bronx between 2020 and 2022, as well as an incident in Upper Manhattan that resulted in the death of 24-year-old Fazker Hernandez.
Prosecutors noted in their letter to the court that within just 18 months, Flock and his gang were involved in various violent acts that escalated existing gang rivalries and initiated new ones. “Dozens of people have been shot, injured, and even killed in this short period of time, largely due to an increase in gang violence,” they stated.
A jury found Flock guilty in March of racketeering conspiracy, along with serious weapon and assault charges. He was, however, acquitted of Hernandez’s murder after his defense team argued that he acted in self-defense during the fatal encounter outside a barbershop in Hamilton Heights in December 2021.
Flock appeared to celebrate his partial victory on social media, claiming, “I beat the highest number,” and boasting that he made the judge emotional, asserting he wouldn’t be sentenced to life. He posted “Never fold, never fold,” and in another post, he wrote in all caps, “Kill all the rats,” which prosecutors interpreted as a pronounced threat against federal witnesses.
Prosecutors emphasized that the evidence demonstrates Flock has not fundamentally changed, urging the judge to consider this during sentencing.
Flock’s attorney did not reply to requests for comment on Tuesday. They did submit a sealed letter with their sentencing recommendations, which remains unavailable to the public.
