FRESNO — A federal judge has ordered the East Bay rapper ChaiBenjii4 jailed indefinitely after federal prosecutors charged him with being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm allegedly found during a raid of his grandma’s home, court records show.
This new legal problem for 23-year-old Michai Adams comes just eight months after he beat a murder charge in Alameda County, accepting a gun conviction in favor of prosecutors dismissing the allegation that Adams killed a man during a shootout. Adams was apparently living with his grandma in Fresno when the California Highway Patrol raided her home on Sept. 22, seizing a pistol that had been reported stolen in Reno, Nevada, according to court records.
The gun was found on the floor next to a dresser with Adams’ clothing and medication, authorities allege. But prosecutors say he initially denied ownership of the gun and implied it belonged to his grandmother, telling police, “Shorty has a gun license.” Later in the conversation, he told them he had it for protection, adding, “I know it’s illegal,” according to the criminal complaint.
On Nov. 4, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stanley Boone ordered Adams jailed without bail, checking nine of a possible 20 boxes on a detention form to justify his decision. These included Adams allegedly being a “serious danger to any person or the community,” having a history of violence, having been on parole or probation during the alleged offense, and facing significant prison time — a maximum of 15 years — if convicted.
Adams is being held at the Fresno jail, according to court records. He was on probation through 2029 because of his Oakland gun case, which started with a shootout and an allegation of murder.
Alameda County prosecutors had attempted to hold Adams responsible for the death of 50-year-old Lamar Payne, during a shootout outside the Amigo GoGo Market in Oakland on Sept. 7, 2024. Adams and at least one other man, Keyante Reed, reportedly exchanged gunfire, though several gunmen were seen on video during the exchange.
Prosecutors struggled to sustain the homicide case after a judge appeared persuaded by a self-defense argument raised by the lawyer for Reed. Reed was released from jail in early 2025, and prosecutors later offered Adams a plea deal dismissing the murder charge, records show.
But Reed’s legal troubles have gotten significantly worse since then. He was arrested and released in connection with a second shootout outside the same marketplace, where prosecutors say he was known to sell marijuana, in September 2025. Then he was accused of killing a man in Stanislaus County, and remains listed as a fugitive with two pending murder cases.
Adams accepted a plea deal with a gun conviction, serving a two-year prison term with credit for one year already on the books. He was released from state prison over the summer. Adams has two other prior felony convictions — evading police and assault with a deadly weapon — which make it illegal for him to possess firearms.
As a musician, Adams has racked up millions of streams and about 40,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. After his release from prison, he seemed to focus on his career, with the release of a new album, Bloodiest B, just seven days before the CHP raid on his grandma’s home. Earlier this week, he celebrated his 23rd birthday in jail.