Grammy-nominated rapper Sidney Selby III, known by his stage name Desiigner, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to misdemeanor indecent conduct on a flight from Tokyo to the Twin Cities. The incident occurred on April 17 during his return from a Far East tour on a Delta Air Lines flight. Selby’s sentence includes two years of probation, a $500,000 fine, and 120 hours of community service.
Desiigner gained fame with his debut single “Panda,” which reached the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2016 and earned him a Grammy nomination. Defense attorney Ryan Garry argued that Selby’s poor decisions on the flight were influenced by dehydration, exhaustion from the music tour, marijuana ingestion, and medication received from a hospital in Thailand.
Prosecutors acknowledged Selby’s mental health and substance abuse challenges but emphasized that his actions on the flight negatively affected the flight attendants who witnessed his behavior. They also highlighted a previous incident in 2018 where Selby was banned from Scandinavian Airlines for a year due to threatening behavior towards the crew.
According to the complaint, Selby exposed himself multiple times during the flight despite being admonished by flight attendants. He apologized after being handed a card stating that his behavior appeared to violate federal law. Desiigner was directed to the back of the plane, where two travel companions agreed to monitor him. He apologized to the plane’s staff after the flight concluded.
During his detention, Selby admitted to the FBI agent that he exposed himself due to arousal caused by one of the flight attendants. He acknowledged repeating the act.
The sentencing reflects the court’s recognition of the negative impact Selby’s actions had on the flight attendants and the violation of federal law.
Author: Ryan Scott
Just a guy
