Lil Wayne has been charged with a crime and faces up to 15 years in prison
Lil Wayne could be facing major prison time stemming from a 2019 incident at a Florida airport.
According to a report from TMZ on Tuesday (November 17), the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida has charged Weezy with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
The charge stems from a December 2019 incident, in which Lil Wayne’s plane was searched by federal agents at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.
The rapper was a passenger on the private plane, which stopped in Florida prior to arriving to its destination in California.
If Wayne, who already has a felony conviction for a gun charge from his 2009 arrest in New York, is convicted, he can face up to 15 years in prison.
The penalties include up to 15 years in prison (with a three-year minimum sentence if you were in actual possession), a $10,000 fine and up to 15 years of probation.
TMZ reports that Wayne could face up to 10 years, however, Florida’s “10-20-Life” law requires courts to impose a minimum sentence of 10 years, 20 years or 25 years to life for certain felony convictions involving the use or attempted use of a firearm or destructive device.
In this case, Wayne reportedly did not use the gun in the commission of a forcible felony like firing it or brandishing it.
In a statement given to XXL by Lil Wayne‘s attorney, Howard Srebnick, he maintains the rapper’s charge is due to a gold-plated gun found inside a luggage.
“Carter is charged with possessing a gold-plated handgun in his luggage on a private plane,” Srebnick says. “There is no allegation that he ever fired it, brandished it, used it or threatened to use it. There is no allegation that he is a dangerous person. The charge is that because he was convicted of a felony in the past, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.”
Lil Wayne is reportedly due back in court next month.
