Max B, the Harlem rapper born Charly Wingate, was in jail for orchestrating a 2006 armed robbery at a Fort Lee, New Jersey hotel that ended with one man shot dead. A jury convicted him of felony murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and conspiracy in 2009, and a judge sentenced him to 75 years. A 2016 plea deal cut that to 20 years, and he was released on November 9, 2025, after roughly 16 years behind bars.
The 2006 Hotel Robbery in Fort Lee
In September 2006, Wingate learned from his ex-girlfriend, Gina Conway, that a man named Allan Plowden was staying at a Holiday Inn in Fort Lee and was believed to be carrying a large amount of cash. Court records say Wingate told Conway he was “going to get him,” meaning he intended to take Plowden’s money. He called Kelvin Leerdam, spoke with him privately, and instructed Conway to bring Leerdam to the hotel and point out Plowden’s room.1Justia. State of New Jersey v. Charly Wingate
Wingate was not at the hotel. He was not even in New Jersey. Inside the room, the encounter turned violent. David Taylor Jr. was fatally shot, and both Plowden and a third person, Giselle Nieves, were kidnapped and robbed.1Justia. State of New Jersey v. Charly Wingate Investigators traced the planning back to Wingate through Conway’s testimony and phone records.
Why He Was Charged With Murder Despite Not Being There
Prosecutors never claimed Wingate pulled the trigger or entered the room. They relied on accomplice liability and conspiracy. Under New Jersey law, a person is guilty of an offense if they solicit, aid, or agree to help another person commit it. Because Wingate planned the robbery, recruited Leerdam, and directed Conway to bring Leerdam to the hotel, the state treated him as legally responsible for what happened inside.1Justia. State of New Jersey v. Charly Wingate
The most serious charge was felony murder. New Jersey’s statute provides that when someone is engaged in a robbery, kidnapping, or certain other dangerous crimes and any person causes a death during that crime, every participant can be charged with murder. The law offers an affirmative defense for participants who were unarmed, did not commit or encourage the killing, and had no reason to believe anyone else intended to use lethal force.2New Jersey Legislature. New Jersey Statutes 2C:11-3 Wingate’s team was unable to successfully invoke it at trial.
The Conviction and 75-Year Sentence
A jury convicted Wingate on 9 of 11 counts in mid-2009, including felony murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit robbery. He was acquitted only on a weapons-possession charge.3New Jersey Courts. State v. Leerdam The judge ran the terms for felony murder, kidnapping, and robbery consecutively rather than concurrently, producing a 75-year sentence. Wingate was 32.
The 2016 Plea Deal That Cut the Sentence
After years of appeals, Wingate’s lawyers negotiated a plea agreement in 2016. The felony murder and kidnapping convictions were vacated. In exchange, he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, which recognizes reckless disregard for human life but carries a shorter sentencing range than murder. His 75 years became 20, with credit for time served since his 2007 arrest. That reduction gave him a fixed end date instead of what amounted to a life sentence, and it revived the “Free Max B” movement his fans had sustained since 2009.
Release in November 2025
Wingate was released from New Jersey state prison on November 9, 2025, after serving roughly 16 years. The release followed the 2016 resentencing and additional time credits that moved his projected date forward. Throughout his incarceration, he continued recording music remotely, and his management kept an active social media presence to hold his fanbase together while he was inside.