Bentonville rapper takes plea deal in song lyrics case

Related Video : KNWA/FOX24’s Anna Darling spoke with a University of Arkansas professor in December 2023 regarding Sullivan’s case.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Bentonville rapper is guilty of putting threatening lyrics in his music, which he claimed was part of a rap persona, according to court documents.

Reese Sullivan, 21, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor threatening a fire or bombing charge on September 13.

Lyrics in Sullivan’s music contained numerous threats of violence in the nine videos analyzed. The threats included statements about school shootings, bombing public events and shooting children.

Sullivan’s plea deal sentenced him to a year of probation, a $500 fine and court costs. He also agreed to get a mental health evaluation, according to the order.

An affidavit said on August 2023, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a tip from an anonymous person who claimed Sullivan was making concerning statements, including bomb threats and referring to acts of violence.

“Each of the video’s audio was in the form of rap music. Statements and threats within the videos included racial statements about specific groups of people and killing them, bombing churches associated with a specific race, killing kids, raping children, bringing his gun to school and killing people of a specific ethnic group, shooting up his school because he was bullied, details of a plan about committing a school shooting, killing his grandmother, bombing a specific public event, killing the president and bombing the senate,” the affidavit said.

The FBI executed a search warrant on Oct. 31 at his apartment but no weapons or explosives were found, according to the affidavit.

Police interviewed Sullivan at his job and he admitted the music was his and that it was his character or persona he used to make rap videos.

He said he started writing and singing these songs when he was 17 years old and he does not believe the statement in the songs.

Sullivan also clarified that he does not hate the groups identified in the songs, he has not sexually abused children and he has no intent of committing the violent acts mentioned in his music.

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