A man convicted in the murder and robbery of Philadelphia rapper PnB Rock at a famous Los Angeles eatery was sentenced Monday to 31 years to life in prison.
A jury convicted Freddie Lee Trone, 42, last month of one count of murder, two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Connie Quinones read his sentence Monday at the Compton Courthouse.
Prosecutors said Trone ordered his son, then 17, to rob the rapper, who was dining with his 4-year-old daughter’s mother at Roscoe’s Chicken ’N Waffles, a branch of an eatery popular with celebrities, in South Los Angeles on Sept. 12, 2022.
Los Angeles police said at the time that an armed robber approached PnB Rock — whose real name was Rakim Hasheem Allen — argued with him, robbed him of jewelry and opened fire, killing him.
The teenager was charged with murder and is being held in a juvenile facility after a judge ruled he is not competent to stand trial.
Trone’s defense attorney, Winston McKesson, said he plans to appeal the conviction, which he can do after sentencing. He argued there is no evidence, from physical items to communication, tying the father to the crime.
“There’s no evidence he supplied the gun, planted the gun or knew his son had a gun,” he said by phone.
The day of the murder, PnB Rock published a video on his then-Twitter account in which he flashed a jewel-encrusted watch that appeared to be an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, a top object of desire among hip-hop stars hoping to declare their success.
A photo posted to his dining companion’s Instagram account reflected his presence at Roscoe’s and may have also revealed his location to the public, then-Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said the day after the crime.
The post was deleted before NBC News was able to verify it.
Moore said an “extensive amount” of jewelry was taken from PnB Rock in the deadly robbery.
NBC Los Angeles reported that Trone is a South Los Angeles gang member.
Another defendant, Tremont Jones, 46, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after he was found guilty of two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy in connection with the case.
Shauntel Trone, Freddie Lee’s wife, was the owner of a vehicle that police and prosecutors alleged was connected to the violence. She pleaded no contest to being an accessory to the crime after the fact, according to the district attorney’s office. Sentencing in her case was scheduled for Jan. 16.
On Monday, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement that Trone’s affirms that justice will prevail for PnB Rock’s loved ones.
“His life was cut short by an act of violence that no family should have to endure,” Gascón said.
Lindsay Good and The Associated Press contributed.
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