Best known for being close friends with Cardi B, Star Brim was arrested in 2020 alongside 17 other persons in a RICO case for her involvement with the NYC gang, 59 Brims. Born Yonette Respass, Brim wasn’t immediately arrested because she was pregnant at the time. Now, her sentence has been announced and she is set to go to prison this year. Here’s everything you need to know about her conviction.
Read More: Cardi B Gave BFF Star Brim A Special Birthday Shoutout On IG
Why Was Star Brim Sentenced?
Star Brim was arrested alongside 17 other people for gang activity with the 59 Brims gang, a subset of the NYC Bloods. Prosecutors described Brim as the highest-ranking female member of the gang. Moreover, she was referred to as the Godmother of the gang. The District Attorney’s office released an official statement considering the case. Specifically, the RICO charges against Star Brim include racketeering and ordering a slashing. Other members of the 59 Brims have been charged with more crimes including. two murder charges and five attempted murders.
The Initial Plea For “No Prison Time”
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 26: Star Brim and Cardi B attend MTV VMAs, Pepsi & Monami Entertainment celebrate the Video Vanguard Award honoree Missy Elliott at her after-party celebration on August 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/WireImage)
Despite the RICO charges, Star Brim and her legal team initially pleaded with the judge to take prison off the table. The claims were that she had changed her life around, especially following the birth of her child in 2020. Many other cases of her improved behavior were presented. Most notably, Star’s relationship with Cardi B was also cited as proof of Star’s rehabilitated lifestyle.
“Although Star clearly has a long history of arrests, she is somewhat unique in that she has always worked at low-paying jobs and has always supported herself independent of gang activities,” her attorney claimed. “She has never succumbed to the expected trappings of gang life, she never used or sold drugs or consumed alcohol. Despite having virtually no formal education, she obtained a GED in 2012. [She] has worked at a series of low-paying jobs since 2007. Since the birth of her child in early March 2020, Star has completely changed her life around… Her Instagram presence grew tremendously because of her friendship with Belcalis Almanzar, better known as Cardi B. Throughout the years, Star has developed skin care products, advertised other products and became an ‘influencer.’ [That] has allowed her to earn additional income.”
Read More: Cardi B’s Best Friend Star Brim Receives Celebratory Welcome After Prison Release
How Long Will Star Brim Spend In Prison?
Unfortunately, following the RICO charges, Star Brim received a prison sentence of a year and a day. Additionally, the judge handed down three-year supervised probation once she has completed her time. The news of her sentence came after she finally pleaded guilty to the criminal charges brought against her through her involvement with the 59 Brims. Alongside her sentence, Star Brim will also be required to undergo an outpatient mental health program after her release. She will also pay an impact fee of $100. Finally, she must comply with routine drug testing.
Judge George B. Daniels sentenced Star Brim on March 7, 2024, and advised that she carry out her sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut. While the option of parole is not available in federal cases, prisoners with good behavior are entitled to up to 15% off their sentence. This means that Brim might be out sooner than expected. Her sentence begins on July 1, 2024.
Is Cardi B Involved?
While Cardi B and Star Brim share a close friendship, the former is not involved in the RICO charges. However, the “Money” rapper wasted no time in coming to her friend’s aid. According to Star, Cardi dropped a whopping $350k to assist her with legal fees. In a message to her haters, she shouted out the Grammy-winning femcee. “Shoutout to my lawyer,” she wrote. “And also shoutout to my friend that paid for my $350K for that lawyer… Yeah, I had a paid lawyer. Thank you to my friend, thank you Cardi. Shoutout to you, you feel me, shoutout to a real one.”
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