Remy Ma’s son, Jayson “Jace” Scott, had his first court appearance on Tuesday, June 25, since being charged with murder last week.
According to ABC7 New York, the 23-year-old was arraigned on a seven-count indictment, along with an accomplice, for the 2021 shooting death of 47-year-old Darius Guillebeaux. Per the outlet, Scott was charged with first and second-degree murder, four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree.
Reps for Remy Ma did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Scott’s alleged accomplice, 22-year-old Richard Swygert, was also charged on Tuesday and already in police custody in connection to another 2021 killing.
Both Scott and Swygert were arrested on Tuesday, June 18, in relation to Guillebeaux’s murder, the New York Police Department confirmed in a statement shared with PEOPLE. Authorities said the crime took place in Queens on June 7, 2021.
Police stated that, at the time, officers responded to a 911 call of a male shot at the intersection of 148 Street and Rockaway Boulevard. “Upon arrival, officers observed a 47-year-old male, unconscious and unresponsive, with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest,” their statement read. “EMS responded to the location and transported the victim to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased.”
The victim was later identified as Guillebeaux.
The statement from authorities noted that, in addition to murder, Scott was also charged with reckless endangerment in the first degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree at the time of his arrest. Swygert, meanwhile, was charged with first-degree murder, reckless endangerment in the first degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, according to police.
New York TV station WNYW and the New York Post were first to report the charges.
A day after Scott’s arrest, a rep for Ma (real name Reminisce Smith) shared a statement with PEOPLE that read, “As many have heard, Remy Ma’s son, Jayson Scott was recently arrested and very serious unfounded allegations have been made. Remy Ma wished to address this situation personally, but has been strongly advised by our office not to say anything publicly – as most people in this situation are, as the case is still active.
“To be clear, Jayson Scott is innocent and Remy Ma is committed to proving his innocence and fully supporting her child during this time,” the statement continued. “We stand by Jayson’s innocence and hope the NYPD will conduct a complete and thorough investigation to reveal the truth. This has undoubtedly been a trying time for Remy Ma and her family. While she sincerely appreciates the love and support she has received, we kindly ask that her privacy be respected as their legal team works to prove Jayson’s innocence.”
Ma ran into legal trouble back in 2008 when she was sentenced to eight years in prison for a 2007 shooting in New York, according to Reuters. The rapper — who launched her music career in 1999 as a member of the Terror Squad collective with artists like Fat Joe and Big Pun — was found guilty on assault, weapons and attempted coercion charges.
She ended up only serving six years.
Sad.
