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Rap Superstar Lil' Wayne Faces Jail Time

By Kamika Dunlap on December 22, 2009 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Rap Superstar Lil' Wayne's days of freedom are winding down and he now faces jail time.

Lil' Wayne is scheduled to go to jail in February in his New York gun case, just days after his next album comes out, the Associated Press reports.

The rap superstar pleaded guilty in October to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. The charge stemmed from a 2007 traffic stop of his tour bus where a loaded .40 semi-automatic was found in a Louis Vuitton bag.

His plea deal calls for a year in jail. His charges could have carried a 3 1/2 year minimum sentence if he contested the charges and was convicted.

New York's gun and weapons are among the toughest in the country. Simple possession of a concealed handgun carries jail time.

In Lil' Wayne's case, he plead guilty to second-degree attempted weapon possession, a felony.

New York breaks down its laws and penalties for possession of a weapon/gun into several categories.

In order to prove that an individual is guilty of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, it must be established that the person:

(1) with intent to use the weapon(s) unlawfully against another person:

(a) possesses a machine-gun;

(b) possesses a loaded firearm;

(c) possesses a disguised gun; or

(2) possesses five or more firearms; or

(3) possesses any loaded firearm (unless the possession takes place in such person's home or place of business.)

Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second 2nd Degree is a Class C Violent Felony.

The rap star's sentencing date is Feb. 9, in a Manhattan state court.

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