Just a week after winning a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for ‘Before the Dawn’, Buju Banton gets convicted on cocaine charges.
The 37-year old whose given name is Mark Myrie 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 the wires to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. He was acquitted of attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine during a drug deal that was set un in December 2009.
Banton was set up by a DEA confidential informant who made a $50,000 commission after audio and videotaping the singer discussing drug deals.
His defense team had argued that Banton was simply a big mouth, trying to look like a big shot, when in reality he wasn’t.
It took the jury 11 hours over two days to find the singer guilty.
It was the second trial for Banton on cocaine charges, the 1st last year ended up in a deadlocked jury.
Buju Banton is now faced with a minimum of a 15-year sentence.
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