NJ rapper shot at a pregnant woman and bragged online — now he’s headed to prison

🔴 A Clifton rapper known as “P-Dice” was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for shooting at a pregnant woman with a ghost gun in a public parking lot.
🚔 Prosecutors said he taunted police on social media after the shooting, posting videos of himself firing a gun and claiming officers would never find him.
⚖️ Pope previously served time for aggravated assault tied to the shooting of a child.

NEWARK — A New Jersey rapper and previously convicted felon was sentenced to more than five years in prison for firing a ghost gun at a pregnant woman nearly three years ago.

According to U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer, Justin Pope, a rapper who also goes by the name “P-Dice,” 38, of Clifton, pled guilty in federal court to an indictment charging him with two counts of unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.

Clifton ghost gun shooting targeted pregnant woman, prosecutors say

“Pope fired multiple shots at close range at a pregnant woman in a public parking lot and took to social media to taunt law enforcement as he continued to endanger the community. This sentence holds him accountable not only for unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon, but for the potentially deadly harm of his actions,” Frazer said.

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On July 12, 2023, police responded to a report of shots fired in a public parking lot in Clifton. Surveillance footage showed Pope and a pregnant woman arguing in a car, according to documents filed in the case and statements made in court.

During the argument, the woman grabbed a gun from Pope and waved it at him before giving it back. She slapped Pope across the face with her hand and got out of the car.
As she did, Pope pointed the gun at her and fired two shots at close range. He then got out of the car and moved towards her.

The woman tried to get back in the car in an attempt to escape, but Pope violently yanked at her arm, trying to pull her back out. When that didn’t work, Pope climbed over the woman and kicked at her to push her from the car.

Bullet from shooting struck restaurant while employees were inside

One of the bullets that Pope fired traveled across the street into a quick-service restaurant, where it became lodged in a menu display behind the counter, according to court documents. The restaurant was open with employees present inside, but nobody was hurt.

Social media taunts led to rapid police pursuit and arrest

The next day, Pope posted a video of himself on social media firing a gun in the air in a residential neighborhood, taunting police, saying, “Can’t find me…Police. Y’all never gonna find me.”

Shortly after the taunts, law enforcement recovered his ammunition. But the taunts didn’t stop. Pope posted another video, in which he was driving a car, saying, “Can’t find me. F**king pigs. Police. Y’all never gonna find me.”

A few hours after the second video was posted on social media, Pope was arrested as he tried to get on a bus in New York City that was headed out of state. He was seen brandishing a firearm at bus employees.

Convicted felon received 63-month federal prison sentence

During his arrest, police recovered a loaded gun, which was later identified as a privately made 9mm firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” with a large capacity magazine attached. Ballistics showed that it was the same gun Pope used to shoot at the pregnant woman the night before.

Pope, who was a member of fellow rapper Fetty Wap's Remy Boyz, had previously been convicted of aggravated assault in New Jersey in connection with the shooting of a child in Paterson in 2016. The boy was shot in the shoulder after a bullet went through an apartment. The child recovered from his wounds.

In addition to his 63-month prison term this time around, the judge sentenced Pope to three years of supervised release.

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