Buju Banton Gets 10-Year Prison Sentence \r
The reggae star hit with severe punishment for cocaine conspiracy conviction.
After being convicted in February for conspiring with two men to possess more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, Jamaican reggae singer Buju Banton (real name: Mark Myrie) was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
According to Reuters, Banton was tripped up by a government informant who helped federal prosecutors prove the international performer was lying in court about his involvement in a drug deal.
"This is a sad day for Mr. Myrie. This is a sad day for Jamaica," said defense lawyer David Markus. "He's a good man who has done great things in his life."
Ten years is the minimum sentence for the Grammy Award-winning singer with 12 years, 5 months being the maximum he could serve.
(Photo: William D. Bird/Getty Images)