OAKLAND — A Richmond rapper is facing federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm that was allegedly discovered during the search of his hotel room, according to court records.
Nathan Williams, who raps under the stage name Nasty Nate, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the lone federal charge. The case was originally filed last March, but prosecutors submitted a new charging record on Thursday, an indication the case is nearing trial or a resolution.
Williams was arrested last July and released from jail in late September, court records show. He had an arraignment set for Friday, but the hearing was postponed until Monday and he did not enter a plea.
Authorities have been monitoring Williams’ Instagram account, @nastynatemm, and took a screen shot of a Sept. 28 live video that includes what appears to be the butt of a gun facing the camera. On Oct. 2, Richmond police attempted to pull a Mercedes over after identifying it as Williams’ car, but it sped away at speeds of approximately 120 miles per hour and officers abandoned the pursuit, the complaint alleges.
The complaint also identifies Williams as a documented member of a central Richmond gang. The day after the chase, police said, Williams recorded another live video where he and another alleged central Richmond gang member talked about what had happened. During the conversation, Williams allegedly said, “I threw the G man out,” which police interpreted as a reference to a Glock pistol, and later added, “They thought I was going out. You hear me. I ain’t going out.”
On Oct. 7, police arrested Williams at a hotel room in a city that’s not specified in the complaint, and discovered a black Glock 26 pistol, according to prosecutors. He has felony convictions, including one in 2017 for cocaine sales, that bar him from possessing guns, according to the court records.
During his rap career of several years, Williams’ songs have been cumulatively streamed and downloaded millions of times. In 2018, the popular music media outlet Thizzler on the Roof released an interview with Williams in which he talks about being transferred to multiple group homes during his youth, going to college as a young man, and the highlights of his rap career. He also speaks frankly about a gun possession case that was pending at the time.
Williams has been fully compliant with conditions attached to his release from jail, according to court records.
Source: www.mercurynews.com