James Rosemond, also known as Jimmy the Henchman, has been indicted in New York for hiring a contract killer to avenge an assault on his 14 year old son by an associate of rapper 50 Cent. Rosemond, best known for his alleged role in the war which claimed the life of rappers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, is already in jail on charges of trafficking millions of dollars worth of cocaine.
Rosemond is currently being held in Federal prison for the drug trafficking charges. He was convicted of transporting millions of dollars worth of cocaine in musical containers that were designed to carry equipment. Nineteen people have been convicted on drug-trafficking and money-laundering charges connected to the drug ring.
Rosemond was indicted along with five other men for arranging the hit on Lowell Fletcher in 2009, Fletcher, an associate of 50 Cent, was gunned down on a Bronx street corner on 2009. According to the indictment Rosemond and two other associates hired the killer and paid him off with large quantities of drugs.
Raymond W. Kelly, New York City’s police commissioner, issued a statement saying,
“This has not been a good month for Jimmy the Henchman,”
Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan, said,
“[The defendants] operated like a mini-gang, allegedly committing a revenge killing, and a host of drug and firearms offenses.”
Mr. Rosemond, who ran rap management company Czar Entertainment, was accused of being involved in the killings of Shakur and Christopher Wallace (Biggie Smalls). He has denied any involvement in the feud. Dexter Isaac, a felon who is currently serving a life sentence in connection with the cocaine ring is now claiming that he was responsible for the shooting of Tupac in 1994. Dexter claims that he shot Shakur in 1994 under the direction of Rosemond.
Calls to Rosemond’s attorney were not returned.