American rapper, Lil Wayne pleaded guilty on Friday to a federal charge that he possessed a weapon despite being a convicted felon, and faces up to 10 years in prison.
The rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter, admitted possessing the .45 calibre gun and six rounds of ammunition after his private plane was searched on arriving in Miami from California on 23 December 2019.
A search warrant said the father-of-four told investigators the gun was a Father’s Day gift.
He entered the plea during a hearing held remotely before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams.
“Your honor, I plead guilty to the charge,” Carter told the judge.
The federal charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, but likely Carter will get far less time than that, according to reports. He is free on $250,000 bail but had to surrender his passport.
The charge stems from a weapons conviction for Carter in New York more than a decade ago, for which he was sentenced to eight months in prison as convicted felons are barred under federal law from possessing firearms.
Carter’s lawyer, Howard Srebnick, said he considered a motion to suppress the search of the plane as a violation of the rapper’s constitutional rights.
“I must say I thought it was a very viable motion. He has decided not to pursue a motion to suppress,” Srebnick said.
The Miami U.S. attorney’s office also said in the news release that investigators found small amounts of cocaine, ecstasy, and oxycodone in a bag belonging to Carter, but he was not charged with any drug crime.
Wayne is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 28.
