A few days ago it was reported that federal prosecutors were seeking to put DMX (real name Earl Simmons) behind bars for five years on tax evasion charges. But before the judge announces X's sentencing this week, the rapper is making an apparent last-minute plea for leniency.
According to TMZ, the 47-year-old has submitted a series of court documents that include a letter in which he outlines his plan to keep him out of trouble. X claims he has received a number of treatment offers from various rehab facilities, the most notable offer coming directly from Jayson Williams—the former NBA athlete and ex-con.
Williams launched a faith-based treatment center called Rebound Institute in 2017, more than 15 years after he fatally shot his 55-year-old limousine driver Costas “Gus” Christofi. Though he was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter, the retired athlete was hit in 2010 with a five-year prison sentence for aggravated assault with a possibility of parole after 18 months. He also served additional time in Rikers Island for a DWI and was released in 2012.
Since his release, Williams has spent a lot of time trying to help active and retired athletes recover from addiction and substance abuse through his Rebound Institute. The program reportedly runs for at least 45 days and enforces drug testing three times a week.
The center’s website reads:
Once they leave our program, teammates bring a newfound sense of self to their relationships and daily routines that elevate their standard of living. This allows them to be the best possible version of themselves. If you want a life that is fulfilling and whole, we invite you to join our community at Rebound. What you will find here is an experience that is life-changing, long-lasting, and that helps you to return to the person you were always meant to be.
It is unclear if X will accept Williams’ alleged offer.
The rapper was taken into custody earlier this year after he failed a drug test, thus violating the conditions of his bail for tax evasion. X pled guilty to one count of tax fraud, and he will be back in court Wednesday to receive his sentencing.
