Rapper T. I. in prison
As a part of his plea deal over his felony weapon charge in 2007, his prosecutors have sentenced the Grammy winning star T. I. to 366 days in a Georgia prison. He was accompanied by his family, manager and his ling time girl friend/ partner, Tameka Cottle.
The hip- hop star pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge and agreed to complete 1,000 hours of community service before his sentencing and also agreed to pay a fine of $100,000 in order to get a lighter sentence. He was arrested on October 13, 2007, after the police caught him trying to buy unregistered machine guns, ammo and silencers from undercover agents. It was just before the BET Hip-Hop Awards.
T.I. whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., is supposed to turn himself in within 60 days after the hearing but he is not expected to do this till May 19. He will do his time in a penitentiary which is not named yet.
Charles Pannell Jr., the district judge of North Georgia said T.I. had commitments that prevented him from turning himself in before May 19. He also praised the star for exceeding the expectation required in the plea deal.
After the hearing T.I. said, “Today I would like to say thank you to some, and apologize to all.” He thanked the prosecutors for allowing for a cut in his prison time by speaking to youth about the pitfalls of crime and drugs. The plea deal allows for credits to further cut in the prison time to 298 days.
