A Philadelphia man, who also happens to be a notable local rap artist, has been sentenced to just shy of four years behind bars on firearms charges. The U.S. Attorney's Office announced that Khalif Ward, known artistically as "Leaf Ward," received a 46-month prison term, with an additional three years of supervised release and a lofty $25,000 fine for his crimes.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the 27-year-old defendant was indicted back in December 2023 on one count of possessing a machine gun and another for firearm possession by a felon. He reportedly pleaded guilty to both charges in October. In the midst of being on release for a state case involving firearms, the young artist managed to collect two prior gun convictions before landing himself in this current federal bind.
It was an August day in 2023, when Ward, driving a stolen vehicle, parked at the King of Prussia Mall's Bahama Breeze. Unbeknownst to him, officers on a proactive patrol ran the stolen car's registration, leading them to initiate a tow. Caught off guard, Ward ran back into the restaurant after emerging with his girlfriend, only to discard a loaded Glock into a trash can—an act seen by a restaurant employee. The firearm in question wasn't just any Glock, but one illegally modified to fire automatically, making its seizure a weighty matter for law enforcement. In a pursuit through the restaurant and its kitchen, officers apprehended Ward and seized the weapon.
Details from the U.S. Attorney’s Office underline the gravity of Ward's choices, with U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero stated, "Despite two prior gun convictions, Ward continued to wield these weapons, boldly displaying them in his videos and carrying them on the street." Meanwhile, ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree highlighted the inherent dangers, particularly in public spaces, of such converted firearms capable of expelling whole magazines in mere seconds. The acknowledgment of the risks posed by firearms in the hands of individuals like Ward, who have proven themselves dangerous, resonates in DeGree's commitment to alliance among law enforcement agencies to mitigate such threats to neighborhood safety.
The collaboration between the ATF, Secret Service, and Upper Merion Township Police Department culminated in the successful prosecution of Ward, managed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Lanni, Everett Witherell, and Shayna Gannone.
