Anchorage Hip-Hop Impresario Sentenced to 87 Months

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Rico Paris Gillespie, a/k/a “Rico G The Mayor,” 31, of Anchorage, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, to serve 87 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for his conviction of distribution of methamphetamine. 

According to court documents, on three separate occasions in April and May of 2017, Gillespie sold methamphetamine in Anchorage.  In May 2017, Gillespie’s house and vehicle were searched by law enforcement officers.  During the search, officers found methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl packaged for sale, as well as three digital scales inside Gillespie’s house.  In a vehicle Gillespie was seen driving prior to the search of the house, law enforcement officers found a loaded Taurus 9mm firearm with a round in the chamber underneath the driver’s seat.

Gillespie styled himself as a local hip-hop performer known by the moniker, “Rico G The Mayor.”  Gillespie has posted many videos online where his lyrics and videos depict a glamorous lifestyle funded by drug trafficking and other illegal activities. 

Before imposing a sentence, Judge Gleason commented that she was particularly troubled that Gillespie dealt drugs out of the same home that he shared with young children.  She was also concerned that Gillespie was a “for profit” drug trafficker and did not appear to have an addiction to the drugs he was selling in the community.  At the sentencing hearing, the record was clear that Mr. Gillespie’s last verified employment was in 2014.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh.