EVERETT — When he took center stage Wednesday, Wayne Frisby had little to say.
There were no spectators in Snohomish County Superior Court as the blind rapper, better known by his stage name Mac Wayne, was sentenced to roughly 1½ years in prison for his latest felony convictions.
Indeed, those gathered to mark the event were the minimum allowed by law: a prosecutor, Frisby’s defense attorney, court staff, corrections officers and Judge Joseph Wilson.
Frisby bills himself as “the undisputed Ray Charles of rap, 100 percent blind and 100 percent raw.” The Everett man, 30, reportedly lost his sight after shooting himself in the head while still in his teens.
He’s attracted some attention for his music and a mini biopic, in which he bragged about selling drugs around town, including to his own mom.
But it has been Frisby’s efforts to hide from the law that have created the biggest buzz.
In 2013, he was charged with robbing a woman and chopping off some of her hair. He then fled town and released a single, taunting the cops on his trail while also claiming his innocence.
The prosecutor’s robbery case melted down after the woman changed her story about Frisby’s involvement. Still, he wound up serving about three months in jail for the methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine he was carrying when arrested on that case.
Frisby was back behind bars in July after Everett police caught him early one morning carrying a .40-caliber Glock in a backpack while downtown. A few weeks later he was arrested by Tulalip Tribal Police officers in the casino parking lot carrying heroin and brass knuckles. At the time, Frisby was seated in a car, not wearing a shirt, and talking into a cellphone. The officer said he approached because he could see a small pipe perched behind one of Frisby’s ears. He recognized it as a “tooter” for smoking drugs.
Frisby pleaded guilty in November and was supposed to be sentenced Jan. 21 for possessing both the heroin and the handgun. Instead, he was a no show.
Deputy prosecutor Jarett Goodkin said he’s now considering bail jumping charges. Frisby’s lawyer, Gurjit Pandher, said that because of the new legal troubles he’d advised his client to offer no explanation for missing the earlier sentencing date.
Pandher asked Wilson to consider waiving mandatory court fines and fees. He said Frisby is disabled and gets by on whatever income he can make pursuing his rap career.
“Unfortunately, he’s not making a lot money from that,” Pandher said.
Wilson told the attorney to look at Frisby’s Mac Wayne videos. The rapper seemed to have plenty of cash to flash, and the money certainly looked real, the judge said.
Wilson noted that Frisby now has spent half his life cycling in and out of the criminal justice system. Most of the trouble stems from drug use.
“I suspect, sir, if you don’t get a hold on that you will be right back here,” the judge said before Frisby was led from court.
Scott North: 425-339-3431; north@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @snorthnews
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