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Rapper T.I. (pleads guilty to firearms charges)

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Faces about 1 year in prison, long community service

By BILL RANKIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/27/08

Atlanta rapper T.I. today pleaded guilty to three weapons charges in federal court in Atlanta.

T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., entered his plea shortly after 1:30 p.m. He pleaded guilty to two counts of illegally possessing machine guns and silencers, and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
AJC
T.I.

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• T.I.'s Easter

U.S. District Court Judge Charles Pannell Jr. scheduled Harris' sentencing a year from now, on March 27, 2009. If Harris abides by the conditions set in his plea agreement, he will receive a prison sentence of one year plus one day. Because the sentence is longer than one year, Harris will be eligible to earn 15 percent time off for good behavior.

Over the next year, Harris must perform at least 1,000 hours of community service, which includes speaking to "at-risk young people," promoting respect for law enforcement, and opposing violence, illegal and reckless use of firearms, illegal drugs and gang activity.

Harris did not make any statements during the hearing, offering only polite replies of "yes" and "no" to the judge's questions.

"Are you guilty of these charges?" Panell asked Harris.

"Yes, your Honor," said Harris, who donned a gray suit at the hearing.

Harris was indicted in October on weapons charges that include illegally possessing three machine guns and two silencers and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Federal prosecutors and Harris' defense team had been engaged in intense plea negotiations the past several weeks.

Harris was arrested in a sting in a Midtown parking lot on Oct. 13 as he allegedly tried to buy the weapons just hours before he was to receive two top awards at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.

Harris, one of the world's most popular rappers, is confined to his home under $3 million bond.

Harris and Atlantic Records provided the cash to cover two-thirds of the bond and the balance was secured by Harris' posh Clayton County property. He has been living there with his girlfriend and his children.

A federal magistrate recently gave Harris permission to attend Easter service. Harris and his family were among thousands who went to the Georgia Dome, where New Birth Missionary Baptist Church held its annual worship extravaganza.

Before his arrest in October, Harris had a litany of dealings with law enforcement dating back to 1997 that placed him either in jail or under arrest. These include a crack cocaine distribution conviction, giving false names to police, skipped court dates, probation violations and illegal weapons charges.

When he was arrested by federal agents, Harris was found with marijuana. He told agents the marijuana was his and that he smoked it to get ready for the BET awards show, Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Alley said during an October bond hearing.

In an affidavit accompanying Harris' charges, Jason Stricklin, a Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives special agent, said one of Harris' bodyguards cooperated with authorities in the rapper's arrest. The bodyguard, whose name has not been disclosed, told agents he illegally bought nine firearms for Harris since he began working for him in July 2007. In these "straw" purchases, Harris fronted his bodyguard thousands of dollars for the weapons, the agent's affidavits said.

Because Harris was convicted of drug distribution in June 1998 in Cobb County, his felony record prevents him from legally making gun purchases himself.

On four different occasions, Stricklin's affidavit said, Harris gave his bodyguard cash to buy firearms. The bodyguard told authorities that in September he delivered a 9 mm pistol to Harris, who invited the bodyguard into his bedroom, where he saw a large walk-in safe that contained multiple short rifles, according to the affidavit.

In October, hours before the BET awards ceremony, the bodyguard met Harris at a pre-arranged meeting place in Midtown and handed over the three machine guns and two silencers, the affidavit said. At that time, the bodyguard was wearing a hidden wire and cooperating with federal agents.

When Harris was told about one of the silencers, he said, "no flash, no bang," and later asked for the "change leftover" from the $12,000 he had given the bodyguard for the weapons, the affidavit said.

Harris was then arrested, without incident, by federal agents in the Midtown parking lot.

— Staff writer Jamie Gumbrecht contributed to this article.

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Uploaded: May 17, 2007 at 8:34 pm
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Tags: Hip Hop TIvsTIP album Denzel TIP Rap 50 cent arrested gun charge ATF bet award

Video Comments:

gardinerrisam (November 21, 2008 at 8:26 pm)

It's simple if you don't like the man, don't watch his videos. His fans want him to be free. But on the bright side Tupac went through this so if this will make T.I.P a better person and rapper and send him to the top like pac or even greater than so be it.

gangstaunitboy (November 16, 2008 at 4:46 pm)

my bad it was meant to say who did 50 lock up from manhatten?
so who did he lock up?
cos your talking shit!

mattcory619 (November 16, 2008 at 9:49 pm)

o ok.. look up sleek louch.piggy bank.
that explains allot.

mattcory619 (November 16, 2008 at 9:51 pm)

i mean clickity clank by sleek louch.. my bad

mattcory619 (November 16, 2008 at 2:44 pm)

his partner big phil was shot ina hail of road side gun shots traveling through ATL in a grand hustle van....look it up before speaking on it.

tank11zero (November 16, 2008 at 4:25 pm)

NO U LOOK IT UP BEFORE SPEAKING ON. T.I debuted in 2001 and phil died in 96 and T.I wasnt even noticed in 96 and t.i fought this nigga in diz club and he pulled out a strap and shot phil, so SHUT THE FUCK UP

geodavis (December 1, 2008 at 12:33 pm)

philant johnson died in 2006 dude. u might be thinking of his cousin alejandro. google it if you have to then respond.

tank11zero (December 1, 2008 at 4:35 pm)

nope..shut up..your facts are wrong im literraly reading the facts now. reply if you want me to tell you pin point exactly what she said
btw he was killed in philly

geodavis (December 2, 2008 at 10:57 am)

ok thats cute but ive seen video of this being stated by TI himself....but sureleyyou know more than TI would of course. watch the video of his recent testiomony in court. PHILANT JOHNSON DIED IN OHIO IN 2006. or watch the TI interview on Tyra banks show he says the same thing. THERES video of ti stating everything. why is this difficult for you?

geodavis (December 1, 2008 at 12:34 pm)

he was killed in ohio. man yall got it all twisted.

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