Real Boston Richey’s Retrial Pushed Back to January

Real Boston Richey’s retrial date for his federal gun and drugs case has been pushed back to January 27 of next year.

Legal documents obtained by Complex reveal that the retrial was moved to January just days before it was supposed to kick off (on Sept. 29), due to the government filing for a continuance. The lead prosecutor reported being sick while also caring for a young kid who’s similarly ill (which he speculates to be due to RSV or COVID).

Since the defense lawyers didn’t object, Judge Mark Walker signed off on the delay, citing that “the ends of justice” are more important than pressing ahead.

According to the documents, the key charge that Richey, born Jalen Taheen Foster, will be facing in the retrial is conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana.

Back in August, Richey received a mixed verdict in the case he’s been fighting ever since an indictment against him was unsealed in 2023. He was found not guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense.

His co-defendant, Rayshun Foster, better known as Real Boston Glizzy, was also found not guilty of the same two charges. Richey and Glizzy faced the additional charge for conspiracy to distribute marijuana, which is the subject of the trial. The case’s other two defendants, De’Anthony Swatzie and Jerdy Miller, Jr., will be in the retrial as well, facing the same count, with Miller facing one additional charge.

Originally, Richey wasn’t supposed to be released from federal custody pending the retrial, but a judge reinstated his pretrial release.

The somewhat chaotic situation played out this way: On Aug. 21, after the first trial, Judge Walker told the rapper he could go home with an ankle monitor. But that oral ruling was reneged shortly afterwards when U.S. Marshals flagged an out-of-state warrant that he had.

Richey’s attorney informed the court that a Texas judge reinstated the rapper’s bond on Aug. 25, clearing the hold that would have caused him to be extradited if he were released by the federal court.

With that hold eliminated, the Florida court granted Richey’s motion and restored his release conditions with added curfew and location monitoring conditions.

The rapper’s warrant was due to charges stemming from him allegedly choking his then-girlfriend outside of a Houston nightclub in March.