F.B.I. Indicts Rapper Big Hutch of Above The Law For Conspiracy To Traffic A Controlled Substance, Rapper Says Music Business Is Special Target For Feds.
(Los Angeles, CA)—Federal authorities have indicted Big Hutch (AKA Gregory ﾓHutchﾔ Hutchinson) for conspiracy to traffic one thousand pounds of marijuana in a case pursued by agents the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Hutchinson will begin serving his sentence on July 28. Hutchinson says, ﾓI was driving, and federal marshals pulled me over, and picked me up. They told me I had been indicted for drug trafficking.ﾔ Hutch, who is a member of the rap group Above The Law, recently released his second solo album, Live From The Ghetto. He first came into prominence when his group was signed by the late Eazy-E to his Ruthless Records label.
Hutchinson explained, ﾓSome other guys had been arrested, who I hadnﾒt had any contact with for a while. They gave the feds my name, and said I financed their drug operation, which isnﾒt even true. When the feds interviewed me, they didnﾒt ask me who I knew who was involved in drugs. Rather, they asked me who in the music industry was involved in drugs. They were just interested in people who worked in music business. So I kind of wonder if thatﾒs why these other guys used my name, since that is what the feds want to hear.ﾔ
ﾓSince hearsay is admissible in federal trials, unlike in other court criminal proceedings, I knew it would be impossible to fight this, so my attorney advised me to cop a plea,ﾔ said Hutch. He added, ﾓThere was never any trial. A motion was simply filed to determine what my sentence would be.ﾔ
He further contended, ﾓOne of the other peoplesﾒ phones who was tapped was someone who was working at my company. So I became a victim through that. The feds should have known from the conversations I had nothing to do with it. There was no reason for me to be put under scrutiny.ﾔ
Hutch commented, ﾓIt was ridiculous. They were trying to claim that I financed their drug operation, and that I was the beneficiary because I have a record label. No one could prove it, but because of the association with these guys, they charged me with conspiracy. I never put any money up for their activities. However, the federal process allows hearsay, and there was hearsay that I knew what these guys were doing. So that alone, according to the feds, makes you part of the operation, even if you have utterly no function whatsoever in it. You essentially become a criminal, solely based on the fact that you have knowledge of an illegal activity being committed. I ended up getting charged for several years for a crime I had nothing to do with.ﾔ
Hutch also said, ﾓHearsay that is based on the claims of government witnesses who are trying to get sentenced less time on their case, and who therefore give people up like this, is all the feds have to have. Then the feds can make a conviction, solely based on that.ﾔ
A music video for Hutchﾒs single ﾓLyrical Murderﾔ has just been released through West World/Activate Entertainment.
We did a video interview with Big Hutch recently. Lookout for that Exclusive video interview in the coming days
