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T.I Pleads Guilty To Federal Weapons Charges
Grammy award-winning rapper T.I. pleaded guilty yesterday (3/27) to three charges of illegal weapons possession, according to published reports. Under the terms of his plea agreement, the 27-year-old rapper is eligible for lighter sentencing, which will be delayed until March 2009.
T.I., who was born Clifford Harris, was arrested Oct. 13 in Atlanta, the night of the BET Hip Hop Awards. Harris' bust was part of a Federal sting during which he took possession of three machine guns and two silencers that a bodyguard bought on his behalf. Two weeks after his arrest, Harris pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was released on $3 million bond, ordered to remain at home and submit to strict surveillance.
If Harris had been tried without his recent change of plea, he could have faced up to 10 years in prison for each charge. Under this new guilty plea, Harris will be sentenced to only one year in prison, pay a $100,000 fine, spend three years under supervised release (including one year of home detention), and perform a total of 1,500 hours of community service, according to a statement by US Attorney David Nahmias.
For Harris to be qualified for the reduced sentence, he must serve at least 1,000 hours of community service before the 2009 sentencing. Harris is expected to use his public visibility, talent and life experience to tell at-risk young people about the mistakes he has made and to educate them about the dangers of violence, guns, gangs and drugs, Nahmias said.
If he doesn't live up to the plea agreement, Harris faces a much longer sentence, according to Federal officials.
