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Lil Zay Osama and six others were arrested and charged in connection with a violent home invasion.
The Chicago native was named in an indictment that the U.S. Attorney's Office unsealed on Tuesday, April 28. The "Changed Up" rapper is charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, and robbery after he allegedly participated in a violent home invasion in Winnetka, Ill. back in March. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros unsealed the indictment after a seventh man was arrested Tuesday. Lil Zay Osama, born Isaiah Dukes, pleaded not guilty to the charges. He's been in custody since April 10.
The indictment says five armed men forced their way into the victim's home on March 8. They entered the property in search of money, cryptocurrency, and other valuables. While the robbery was in progress, one of the men allegedly called Dukes for directions on how to get the cryptocurrency from the victim. The rapper's attorney, Michael Clancy, maintained his client's innocence and demanded a speedy trial. All the other defendants have also pleaded not guilty to the charges. Dukes is expected to appear in court on May 12.
“My client was not present at the robbery and he did not set up this robbery and Mr. Dukes is hoping to get to trial as soon as possible,” Clancy said.
Lil Zay Osama was released from prison last year after serving several months behind bars for possessing an illegal machine gun while in New York City in 2022. He was arrested after he left the weapon in an Uber. He was found with a loaded Glock 19 with a 50-round drum magazine, a loaded Glock 29 with a laser, an extended magazine, and a switch that turned it into a machine gun. He was sentenced to 14 months in a federal prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.