RICHMOND — Claudie Easley IV, known by his stage name Bla$ta, has found himself back in custody, this time without bail, after being charged with a new felony offense of evading police. The 31-year-old North Richmond rapper had been out on bail with pending cases related to a gun charge in San Joaquin County and two police chase cases in Contra Costa County.
Authorities allege that Easley led Hercules police on a high-speed chase in January, reaching speeds of up to 120 mph. The pursuing officers decided to discontinue the chase to prevent any potential harm. However, during the pursuit, one of the officers managed to get a clear look at Easley’s face as he had his car window open.
Easley was apprehended on Wednesday in Tracy, and prosecutors filed the new evading police case against him on Thursday. This marks the third consecutive year in which Easley has faced felony police chase charges, with all three cases still pending. In 2022, he was charged with leading police on a car chase through Rodeo on October 21, 2021. In 2023, he faced another charge for leading police on a chase from Rodeo to Alameda County on September 19, 2022.
In both the 2022 and 2024 chases, Easley managed to evade law enforcement successfully. In the 2022 incident, his own music was playing through the stereo when police found his abandoned car in Emeryville, suggesting he was listening to his own rap music while evading capture.
Easley had been scheduled to enter a no contest plea in his Contra Costa cases on March 27. However, these new charges are likely to impact any potential plea deal. Additionally, he is awaiting sentencing for a gun possession charge in San Joaquin County.
Apart from his legal troubles in criminal court, Easley is also facing a lawsuit filed by a bail bonds company seeking to recover $4,400. He has been open about his encounters with law enforcement in his music and interviews, including discussing a past federal gun sales case where he claimed to have been set up by an ATF agent. Easley has mentioned making life changes since becoming a father.