Rapper Kay Flock Sentenced to 30 Years as Feds Crack Down on NYC Gang Violence

A rising drill rapper whose music celebrated gang violence has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for leading a Bronx street gang responsible for multiple shootings across New York City.

Kevin Perez, 22, known professionally as Kay Flock, received the sentence on Tuesday from US District Judge Lewis J Liman following his March conviction on charges including racketeering conspiracy, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon, according to the US Department of Justice.

Prosecutors said Perez commanded the Sev Side/DOA gang during a violent 18-month period between 2020 and 2021. The gang's name stands for 'Dumping on Anything' or 'Dead on Arrival'. During this time, the East 187th Street-based organisation carried out shootings that resulted in numerous casualties across the Bronx, with four separate incidents directly linked to Perez's leadership.

Judge Rejects 'Intellectual Disability' Defence

Perez's legal team made a final attempt to reduce his sentence by claiming he could not have functioned as a gang leader due to an alleged 'intellectual disability'. Judge Liman dismissed the argument and applied a sentencing enhancement for his leadership role, Complex reported.

'You taunted, you celebrated, and you helped create a cycle of violence', Judge Liman told Perez during the hearing, adding that his victims included 'generations of young people who chose to join a gang at a young age, just like you did'.

The judge said Perez had used gang activity to ruin the lives of others after his own life was destroyed by street violence.

Federal prosecutors sought a 50-year term, with Assistant US Attorney Patrick R Moroney arguing that Perez excelled at 'celebrating his violence and getting under the skin of his rivals'. Evidence showed the rapper leveraged his growing celebrity to intensify gang conflicts and provoke additional bloodshed.

From Billboard Rising Star to Federal Prison

Billboard magazine named Perez its Hip Hop Rookie of the Month in November 2021 after his debut mixtape 'The D.O.A. Tape' gained traction. Songs including 'Being Honest' and his Cardi B collaboration 'Shake It' established him as a prominent figure in New York's drill rap movement.

However, investigators uncovered a systematic pattern of violence behind his musical success. The Sev Side/DOA gang financed Perez's recording career through bank fraud and wire fraud schemes. He weaponised his platform to mock opponents, boast about attacks, and promote the gang's criminal activities.

One shooting on 20 June 2020 left a rival gang member with a jaw injury whilst multiple bystanders suffered gunshot wounds. Within days, Perez and his associates released a music video celebrating the attack, prosecutors stated.

Court documents revealed that prosecutors accused Perez of using private messages to encourage gang members towards violence, writing that his music 'made the defendant famous and now rich'.

Defence Highlights Dangerous Upbringing

Defence attorney Michael Ashley urged Judge Liman to impose the mandatory minimum 10-year sentence, emphasising that Perez grew up in an extremely dangerous area and joined the gang at age 13 under the influence of older members. Six of his childhood friends were killed in gun violence before he reached adulthood, according to ABC News.

Judge Liman acknowledged Perez's brain was still developing during the crimes and recognised that street life was all he had known. Whilst calling him a 'man of promise' whose musical abilities might have succeeded in different circumstances, the judge maintained that significant prison time was required.

Following the sentencing, Perez's mother, Jackie, known to fans as 'Momma Flock', spoke tearfully outside the courtroom. 'I'm not done with the fight', she said. 'That's my son. That's my world.'

US Attorney Jay Clayton stated the sentence delivers what New Yorkers want: removing 'violent, gun-toting gang leaders off our streets'. Perez must also serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment, Rolling Stone reported.