Buju Banton sentenced for 10 years in prison for cocaine trafficking
June 24th, 2011 - 1:17 am ICT by Aishwarya BhattLos Angeles, June 23 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Reggae star Buju Banton has been sentenced to ten years in federal jail following his conviction on three counts of related cocaine trafficking charges. Banton whose real name is Mark Myrie was arrested following a sting involving an undercover police officer.
He was caught on tape trying to sell huge haul of cocaine to the officer. He has been held since December of 2009 and he could have been sentenced to at least 15 years in jail or even worse to life in prison. Banton was found not guilty of the charge of attempted possession with the intent to distribute. He was however found guilty of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. The first trial ended in mistrial in September. The singer won a Grammy with his album “Before the Dawn” earlier this year.
Banton will serve his term in a federal prison and LA Times reports that he will be made to keep his dreadlocks in jail. The report further said the singer who practices the Rastafarian faith will also be allowed to keep his belief. What he can’t however do is record a song from the prison.
Banton is a multiple Grammy winner and one of the most successful reggae stars in the world.
- Grammy-winning reggae artist Buju Banton sentenced to over 10 years in prison - Jun 24, 2011
- Reggae star Buju Banton found guilty of cocaine conspiracy charges - Feb 23, 2011
- Reggae star Buju Banton wins Grammy, faces prison on drug-related charges - Feb 14, 2011
- Buju Banton arrested over drug charges - Dec 15, 2009
- Buju Banton's Nomination In Grammy Hurts Gay Community - Feb 01, 2010
- Rapper Buju Banton Arrested For Possession Of Cocaine - Dec 14, 2009
- Gay activists are happy that Buju Banton lost at the Grammy Awards 2010 - Feb 01, 2010
- Lady Antebellum sweeps the list of the Grammy winners - Feb 14, 2011
- Chicago man sentenced for crack cocaine distribution in Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Feb 11, 2010
- Stratford, CT man sentenced for dealing cocaine - Feb 20, 2010
- Cedar Rapids, IA, brothers sentenced for cocaine distribution and money laundering - Feb 10, 2010
- Connecticut heroin dealer sentenced to two years in prison - Feb 12, 2010
- New York cocaine trafficker sentenced - Feb 13, 2010
- Russian drug dealer's accomplice gets 30 years in jail - Jul 29, 2011
- Hartfort, CT man sentenced to federal prison for heroin trafficking - Jan 23, 2010
Tags: buju banton, cocaine trafficking, conspiracy, conviction, dawn, dreadlocks, drug trafficking, federal prison, furtherance, grammy winner, june 23, la times, life in prison, mistrial, possession, rastafarian faith, reggae star, reggae stars, sting, undercover police officer