Rapper T.I. May Face 14 Months in Prison for Drug Charges

Filed under: News, Media

After being arrested in September on drug charges and on the heels of serving nearly a year for a federal weapons conviction, rapper T.I. now faces incarceration again but this time, he might be looking at 14 months.

The hip-hop superstar, whose real name is Clifford Harris, and wife Tameka Cottle were arrested on the eve of September 1, when police stopped them for making an illegal U-Turn in West Hollywood, California.

When officers approached their $400,000-plus Maybach, they immediately smelled marijuana wafting from the vehicle. The high-profile couple was arrested and slapped with federal drug possession charges. They were released the next day on $10,000 bail. Police found marijuana, ecstasy and codeine in the car. T.I. also tested positive for opiates.

T.I., who served a seven-month stretch in a federal prison and three additional months in a Georgia halfway house for the weapons charges last year, was still on a three-year probation when he and his wife were taken into custody.

The mega entertainer, who recently co-starred in the blockbuster hit "Takers," was given the supervised release and warned not to commit another crime on any level -- state, federal or local. T.I. was also instructed by the courts that it would be to his detriment if he were to get caught with any kind of illegal controlled substance.

Now T.I.'s probation officer is recommending that he face 8 to 14 months in prison if his probation is revoked following his recent arrest in Los Angeles. On the flip side, the Grammy Award-winning performer's lawyers state that their client's probation officer's recommendations are "erroneous" and that the request is one that is more suitable for violent career criminals. According to his legal team, T.I. could actually face more like 5 to 11 months behind bars.

T.I.'s drug charges hearing was set by a U.S. District Court judge for 2 p.m. on October 15.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments