In another series of text messages, Ali asked Williams to "help with a case for a friend of my friends" who was being prosecuted by the D.A.'s Office and facing a sentence of 1 and a half to 3 years, a term which would have placed him in a state prison. "It seems like he has the possibility of having it thrown out or continued ... if it gets continued I will then ask for the file and see what can be done to make it a county sentence," Williams responded to requests from Ali to get the sentenced reduced.