Local rapper Honest Abe gets 9 years for drug charge, leading police on high-speed chase

An aspiring rap artist in Montgomery County is now heading to jail.

The Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office says Abraham Kamara, who goes by the name Honest Abe, will spend the next nine years in prison.

He was arrested back in April after leading police on a high-speed chase.

"He calls himself Honest Abe on his videos that he is rapping on, but to tell you the truth, he's not honest," said Ramon Korionoff, spokesperson for the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office. "He is a guy that has lied to the courts and doesn't have respect for the court system. He doesn't have respect for public safety."

An officer attempted to stop him along University Boulevard East and Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring because the truck he was driving had a suspended registration.

Instead of pulling over, Kamara took off.

"Here is this box truck going through the neighborhood, weaving in and out of streets, making quick turns," said Korionoff. "In fact, jumping over a traffic circle."

The chase was all caught on dash cam. Kamara hit speeds of over 60 miles per hour in a 25 mph zone.

The police cruiser slammed into the truck as Kamara tried to make a sharp turn. He jumped out the passenger side.

The officer ran after him and attempted to use a Taser, but it didn't have any effect. The officer was injured while physically taking him down.

Drugs were later recovered from a bag in the truck.

"In that box truck, there was nearly 74 grams of marijuana and a scale, so that really showed that he had every intention to deal those drugs in our community," said Korionoff.

Kamara told investigators he traded the drugs for studio time.

He agreed to a plea deal in October and the judge granted him some time to get his affairs in order. But days later, he was arrested again.

"He was later found again with a substantial amount of drugs, with intent to distribute, and so that came into play today, and he received eight years in prison for the drug charge and one year in prison for the fleeing and alluding charge," Korionoff said.

The state's attorney's office says Kamara received eight years in prison for the drug charge and one year for the fleeing and alluding charge.

Under the original plea deal, Kamara would have served no more than five years.

No one was injured during the police chase.