A Bronx resident, Ashanti Washington, 24, pleaded guilty on July 23, 2026, to perjury for lying under oath during the federal trial of Kevin Perez, the Bronx rapper better known as Kay Flock. Prosecutors say Washington’s false testimony in March 2025 was aimed at smearing the murder victim and shielding a gang leader from responsibility for violent crimes. Her plea marks the latest twist in a nationally watched case that has put witness credibility in gang prosecutions under a harsh spotlight.
"Truth under oath is central to our system of justice," U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said after Washington entered her plea. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Washington pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky and admitted giving false testimony at the March 2025 trial. Prosecutors said the case is being handled by the office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit.
Trial background
Kevin Perez, the Bronx rapper known as Kay Flock, was convicted by a jury in March 2025 on racketeering-related charges and later sentenced to 30 years in prison, as reported by Pitchfork. Prosecutors said the trial turned on competing witness accounts about who fired the fatal shots, and Washington took the stand for the defense. Her new admission undercuts testimony that federal lawyers say influenced key evidentiary rulings during that trial.
What prosecutors say
According to federal filings, Washington testified on March 17 and 18, 2025, denying that she knew about or touched the gun used in the killing, denying knowledge of a gang hand sign, and claiming that the victim had threatened to shoot Perez. An earlier indictment and public court records say investigators later found Washington’s DNA on multiple parts of that firearm and charged her with three counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. Those allegations were detailed in a June 26, 2025, press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Legal consequences
Washington pleaded guilty to a single count of perjury at a federal criminal trial. Under federal law, the maximum penalty for perjury is five years in prison. The statutory penalty is outlined in Legal Information Institute, which explains that a person who willfully makes a material false statement under oath "shall... be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both." Sentencing has not yet been scheduled, and prosecutors said the investigation remains ongoing.
Prosecutors credited Homeland Security Investigations and the NYPD for the work that led to the charges and posted notice of Washington’s plea on the U.S. Attorney’s official X account. Court filings show the case remains assigned to U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels for any further proceedings.
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