Mendeecees Harris, one of the stars of the popular VH1 reality series “Love & Hip Hop-New York,” received a 97-month prison sentence in Rochester on Tuesday for a federal drug trafficking crime.
Harris pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Rochester in April. The plea called for a sentence of eight to 10 years in prison.
He has been free under a bail agreement in which his earnings from the show and his paid public appearances are turned over to the federal government.
In an Instagram post, Harris opened up about his current situation and urges youth to use it as a cautionary tale.
“I completely accept responsibility for all that is going on,” Harris said in the caption of a self-portrait. “Young men let my life be an example to you now before it’s too late. Better who you are now in your children’s lives and in society so you can change the path of your fate. Lack of opportunities, a fatherless home, the unforgiven neighborhood and circumstances you grew up in can no longer be your excuse. Educate yourself and break the cycle.”
