Prosecutors drop firearms charge against Buju Banton
Buju Banton

FLORIDA, United States (AP) — Federal prosecutors have agreed to drop a firearms charge against reggae star Buju Banton, who is already serving a 10-year sentence.

The US Attorney's Office announced Thursday that a deal with Banton calls for his waiver of all future appeals related to his 2011 conviction on a cocaine distribution conspiracy charge.

Banton is scheduled to be released from federal prison in January 2019, at which time he will be deported to Jamaica.

Banton's attorneys previously argued that he should be released early under a change in federal drug sentencing guidelines. But the change didn't apply to most minimum mandatory sentences.

Banton's 10-year sentence is the minimum mandatory sentence for his conviction stemming from a 2009 arrest following a sting operation.

Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at https://bit.ly/epaper-login

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Polls

Which long-term investment option is more attractive to you at the moment?