Breaking news… Rapper TI get’s a 1 year sentence for weapons charges…
Breaking news… Rapper TI get’s a 1 year sentence for weapons charges…
ATLANTA — A Northern Georgia District judge sentenced T.I. to one year and one day in prison on felony weapons charges Friday (March 27), calling the rapper’s plea deal “experimental” but a success.
Judge Charles Pannell Jr. told the rapper he had more than exceeded the court’s expectations, and he hoped his case would inspire similar plea deals.
Tip is scheduled to report to prison voluntarily within the next six to eight weeks. However, the judge acknowledged that the rapper has agreed-upon commitments that will not allow him to enter prison before May 19.
Shortly before 9:30 a.m., the rapper arrived at the 23rd-floor chamber. His manager, Jason Geter, was present beforehand. The sterile building was largely quiet as federal workers, lawyers and citizens slowly filed in. The courtroom was filled with a mix of teens, curious employees from the building, and the rapper’s family, including his longtime partner, Tameka “Tiny” Cottle. A hushed tone overtook the room with T.I.’s entrance. Lawyers were still entering.
T.I., wearing a charcoal-grey suit, dark dress shirt and matching tie, was greeted warmly by his legal team. His spirits appeared up as he flashed a smile to different people as he scanned the room.
T.I. — who will discuss how he feels about his upcoming jail time on “T.I.’s Road to Redemption: The Reckoning,” airing Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV — made a plea deal last March that suggested if he completed 1,000 hours of community service before sentencing, paid a $100,000 fine and agreed to complete another 500 hours of community service after his time behind bars, he would be sentenced to a year and a day in prison.
The sentence is notable, according to legal experts, because of the specific length. If T.I. were to be sentenced to one year in prison, for example, he would be required to complete the entire sentence. The sentence of one year and one day could allow T.I. to be released earlier for good behavior, if warranted.
Backstory:
On October 13, 2007, federal authorities arrested T.I. four hours before the BET Hip-Hop Awards. He was charged with two felonies — possession of three unregistered machine guns and two silencers, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. The arrest was made in the parking lot of a downtown shopping center, which a witness identified as the Walgreens drug store at the corner of North and Piedmont Avenues. Harris was arrested after allegedly trying to purchase the guns from a “cooperating witness” with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to federal officials, the witness had been cooperating with authorities since Wednesday, when he was arrested on charges of trying to purchase guns from a federal agent. The witness had been working as Harris’ bodyguard since July, authorities said. T.I. walked out of the Atlanta United States District Court after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman on October 26, 2007. Judge Alan J. Baverman required T.I. post a $3 million bond, $2 million in cash and $1 million in equity on property he owns. The rapper was required to remain at home except for medical appointments and court appearances. The only people allowed to live with him were his girlfriend and children. Visitors were required to be approved by the court.