23536
Bluelight Crew
TAMPA, Fla. -- Family members, fans and supporters have pleaded for leniency for Grammy-winning reggae singer Buju Banton, who likely will be sentenced to prison Thursday for conspiring to set up a cocaine deal.
Banton's attorney, David Markus, says federal sentencing guidelines call for a prison term of at least 15 years. In a court filing, Markus told Moody that is "way more than necessary" in Banton's case.
He contends that Banton's limited participation in the drug buy, his charitable work in Jamaica and his otherwise clean record entitle the singer to a reduced sentence.
Banton was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Preston argued during trial that Banton portrayed himself as a broker of drug deals in several conversations with a confidential informant. Preston said Banton thought he was getting involved in a "no-risk" deal in which he would introduce a friend to a confidential informant, and then later collect money from drug transactions.
Prosecutors acknowledge that Banton did not put any money into the drug deal nor did he ever profit from it. Markus characterized his client as "a big talker" who admitted to trying to impress the confidential informant but wasn't involved in any drug deal.
Banton testified that the informant badgered him after they met on a trans-Atlantic flight in July 2009 and insisted they meet to set up a cocaine purchase. He said he was so uninterested in the informant's proposals that after they met twice, Banton didn't return the man's phone calls for months.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/23/2280320/reggae-star-buju-banton-faces.html#ixzz1Q6fIXvt2
Banton's attorney, David Markus, says federal sentencing guidelines call for a prison term of at least 15 years. In a court filing, Markus told Moody that is "way more than necessary" in Banton's case.
He contends that Banton's limited participation in the drug buy, his charitable work in Jamaica and his otherwise clean record entitle the singer to a reduced sentence.
Banton was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Preston argued during trial that Banton portrayed himself as a broker of drug deals in several conversations with a confidential informant. Preston said Banton thought he was getting involved in a "no-risk" deal in which he would introduce a friend to a confidential informant, and then later collect money from drug transactions.
Prosecutors acknowledge that Banton did not put any money into the drug deal nor did he ever profit from it. Markus characterized his client as "a big talker" who admitted to trying to impress the confidential informant but wasn't involved in any drug deal.
Banton testified that the informant badgered him after they met on a trans-Atlantic flight in July 2009 and insisted they meet to set up a cocaine purchase. He said he was so uninterested in the informant's proposals that after they met twice, Banton didn't return the man's phone calls for months.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/23/2280320/reggae-star-buju-banton-faces.html#ixzz1Q6fIXvt2
