Lil Wayne
| Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born: | September 27, 1982 New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Charges: | Possession of firearm by convicted felon |
| Sentence: | Pardoned before sentencing (faced up to 10 years) |
| Facility: | |
| Status: | Pardoned |
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He's one of the best-selling music artists of all time and has won five Grammy Awards. On December 11, 2020, he pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The charges stemmed from a December 2019 incident when federal agents found him traveling on a private plane with a gold-plated .45-caliber handgun. Because he'd been convicted as a felon in a 2009 gun case in New York, federal law prohibited him from possessing firearms. He faced up to 10 years in federal prison, with sentencing set for January 28, 2021. Then President Donald Trump granted him a full pardon on January 20, 2021, just eight days before sentencing and on Trump's final day in office.[1]
Summary
Lil Wayne stands as one of the most commercially successful and influential rappers in hip-hop history. He started as a teenager from New Orleans and went on to sell over 120 million records worldwide while winning five Grammy Awards. His 2008 album "Tha Carter III" debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, moving over a million copies in its first week alone.
Yet his commercial success didn't shield him from legal troubles. Guns kept coming back to haunt him. In 2009, he pleaded guilty to a felony gun charge in New York from a 2007 arrest, serving eight months in prison. That felony conviction made firearm possession illegal under federal law.
December 2019 brought another incident. Federal agents searching a private plane bound for South Florida found him carrying a gold-plated .45-caliber handgun. He pleaded guilty to federal charges in December 2020 and suddenly faced up to 10 years in prison.
What changed things was the pardon. It came after Lil Wayne had publicly endorsed Trump in the final days before the 2020 presidential election, praising Trump's criminal justice reform efforts and "Platinum Plan" for Black Americans. The endorsement generated significant attention, not to mention controversy given the timing relative to his pending federal case.
Background
Music Career
New Orleans, Louisiana. September 27, 1982. That's where Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born. He started rapping at age nine and caught the attention of rapper Birdman, who signed him to Cash Money Records when he was just 11 years old. By 14, he was already featured on records.
His career built into something remarkable:
- 13 studio albums released
- Five Grammy Awards won
- Over 120 million records sold worldwide
- Founded Young Money Entertainment, which signed Drake and Nicki Minaj
- Named one of the greatest rappers of all time by various publications
2007 New York Arrest and 2009 Conviction
July 22, 2007. Outside New York City's Beacon Theater, federal agents arrested Lil Wayne after finding a .40-caliber pistol on his tour bus. Two years later, in October 2009, he pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, following a deal with New York prosecutors.[2]
On March 8, 2010, his sentence began at Rikers Island. He got out on November 4, 2010, after serving eight months of the original one-year term.
That felony conviction changed everything. Federal law now prohibited him from ever possessing firearms.
2019 Federal Gun Case
The Arrest
December 23, 2019. Federal agents working off an anonymous tip searched a private plane carrying Lil Wayne at Opa Locka Executive Airport near Miami. He'd been flying from California to South Florida.
When officers questioned him, he admitted to having a gun in his bag. After getting a search warrant, they discovered a gold-plated Remington 1911, .45-caliber handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition.[3]
His bag also contained personal amounts of cocaine, ecstasy, and oxycodone. No drug charges followed.
Federal Charges
Federal prosecutors in Miami charged him in November 2020 with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, violating 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty was 10 years in federal prison.
Guilty Plea
December 11, 2020. Lil Wayne appeared via video before a federal judge in Miami and pleaded guilty.
"Your honor, I plead guilty to the charge," he told the court.
His attorney, Howard Srebnick, later said he'd considered filing a motion to suppress the search as a constitutional violation, calling it "a very viable motion." But Lil Wayne decided to accept responsibility instead of pursuing that defense.
Bail and Sentencing
After the guilty plea, Lil Wayne was released on $250,000 bail. Sentencing was scheduled for January 28, 2021. With his prior felony conviction, he was looking at significant prison time.
Trump Endorsement
Late October 2020. This was after his federal gun charge was filed but before he pleaded guilty. Lil Wayne met with President Trump and publicly endorsed his reelection campaign.
He posted a photo with Trump on social media and praised Trump's criminal justice reform efforts and his "Platinum Plan," promoted as benefiting Black Americans. The endorsement made headlines and stirred both criticism and support.[4]
People wondered about the timing. Here was Lil Wayne facing federal charges, meeting with the president, endorsing him. Was he seeking clemency? That question hung in the air.
Presidential Pardon
January 20, 2021. Trump's final day in office. Eight days before Lil Wayne's scheduled sentencing, President Trump granted him a full pardon.[1]
White House Statement
The White House cited support from various individuals in their statement. They noted that Lil Wayne had "performed at multiple events to honor our nation's military."
Part of Final Clemency Batch
This wasn't an isolated act. The pardon was one of 73 pardons and 70 commutations issued in Trump's final hours as president. Steve Bannon got one too, along with others charged with various crimes. Rapper Kodak Black, convicted on federal weapons charges, had his sentence commuted that same day.
Impact
The pardon wiped out any possibility of federal prison time for the gun charge. It also cleared his record of the federal conviction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What did Lil Wayne do?
Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Federal agents found him in December 2019 traveling on a private plane with a gold-plated .45-caliber handgun loaded with six rounds. Since he'd been convicted as a felon in 2009 for a New York gun case, possessing firearms was illegal.[3]
Q: Was Lil Wayne pardoned?
Yes. President Trump granted Lil Wayne a full pardon on January 20, 2021, Trump's final day in office. The pardon came just eight days before Lil Wayne's scheduled sentencing, where he faced up to 10 years in federal prison. It was among 73 pardons issued in Trump's final hours.[1]
Q: What was Lil Wayne's potential sentence?
He faced up to 10 years in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sentencing was scheduled for January 28, 2021. Trump's pardon eliminated any possibility of prison time. After pleading guilty, Lil Wayne had been released on $250,000 bail.[4]
Q: Why was it illegal for Lil Wayne to have a gun?
Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms. Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to a felony gun charge in New York in 2009, stemming from a 2007 arrest when officers found a pistol on his tour bus. He served eight months in prison for that conviction, making any subsequent firearm possession a federal crime.[2]
Q: Did Lil Wayne endorse Trump?
Yes. Lil Wayne endorsed Trump in the final days before the 2020 presidential election. He posed for photos with Trump and praised Trump's criminal justice reform efforts and "Platinum Plan" for the Black community. The endorsement drew attention given his pending federal case.[4]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 NPR, "Trump Pardons Steve Bannon, Lil Wayne In Final Clemency Flurry," January 2021, https://www.npr.org/2021/01/20/934139723/trump-pardons-steve-bannon-lil-wayne-in-final-clemency-flurry
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 CNN, "Lil Wayne pleads guilty to federal firearm charge," December 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/11/entertainment/lil-wayne-gun-charge-guilty-plea/index.html
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Department of Justice, "Lil Wayne Pleads Guilty in Miami to Federal Gun Charge," December 2020, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/lil-wayne-pleads-guilty-miami-federal-gun-charge
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 CNN, "Trump grants clemency to rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black in final flurry of presidential power," January 2021, https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/lil-wayne-kodak-black-trump