Casanova’s efforts to get out of jail temporarily on a high bail was denied by a judge who said the New York rapper is a danger to society.
The Brooklyn-born emcee, who was born Caswell Senior 34 years ago, was denied bond after being arrested for alleged drug dealing and brandishing firearms as one of the leaders of the Gorilla Stone Bloods gang.
Casanova turned himself in to police in December 2020 to face the federal charges brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. He remains in the Westchester County Jail and faces a minimum of 15 years in prison.
Federal prosecutors successfully argued Casanova posed a threat to society based upon his alleged history of criminality and violence.
“The only thing the passage of time from the three prior first degree convictions has established is that the defendant has moved up from the more junior role to a leadership role, where he has his underlings do the dirty work on his and the gang’s behalf,” Assistant U.S. Attorney David Felton told the court, according to The Source.
“(Casanova) is a full-fledged, committed leader of the gang,” Felton added according to the New York Daily News, saying there is “rampant evidence of guns, drugs and violence centrally involving this defendant.”
When prosecutors added previous convictions for robbery, assaulting a woman and a double shooting in Miami, reports The Source, the judge’s mind was made up to remand Casanova until his trial.
“The fact that violence seems to be perpetuated by associates of Mr. Senior … it’s plausible to interpret that as evidence … Mr. Senior doesn’t have to get his hands dirty,” Manhattan Federal Judge Philip Halpern said, according to the New York Daily News.
