The artiste – real name Mark Myrie – was found guilty in February of conspiring to negotiate a drug deal in a police controlled warehouse in Florida.

The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense was dropped however.

The artiste was slapped with the heavy sentence despite pleas for leniency by his attorney, his children, movie star Danny Glover and other character witnesses.

Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, seemed resigned to accept his fate and calmy accepted the verdict.

His attorney David Oscar Markus has signalled his intent to appeal Banton’s guilty verdict and indicated that he would move with alacrity to secure the artiste’s release.

The verdict was handed down in front of a packed.

courthouse which included members of the artiste’s family, his close friend Wayne Wonder, his manager Traci McGregor and reporters.

Many persons, including artistes and Banton’s close friends Gramps Morgan and Delly Ranks who came to hear the verdict were turned back after court officials indicated that the courtroom was packed and Moody had already been seated at minutes to 9:00 am.

The sentencing hearing lasted just over an hour and many of Myrie’s supporters and family members cried openly.

The artiste will serve his time at the penal facility in the state of Florida.

Myrie underwent two trials after the first trial ended in a mistrial in 2010. He was however found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilogrammes of cocaine, using the wires to facilitate a drug offense and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offence.

Banton’s two co-conspirators, Ian Thomas and James Mack both plead guilty after they were held in a sting operation attempting to purchase cocaine from federal agents in a police controlled warehouse in Tampa.

The Us government built their case around wiretap and video evidence which caught Banton tasting cocaine and making several statements of the purchasee and sale of large amounts of contraband.

Today’s sentence hearing culminates a tense wait which started with the artiste’s conviction on February 22 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilogrammes of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offence and using the wires to facilitate a drug-trafficking offence.

At the same time, the United States (US) Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is remaining tight-lipped on whether it will go after Buju’s assets.

“The United States Attorney’s Office has not initiated forfeiture proceedings in the Mark Myrie case,” wrote Amy Filjones, a public affairs specialist in the office, in an emailed response to media reporters.
“We cannot comment any further at this time,” Filjones added when asked if her office has decided against initiating those proceedings.
US District judge James Moody is expected to impose the sentence when Buju, whose real name is Mark Myrie, appears in a Tampa Federal courtroom.

Moody is also expected to issue a ruling on a motion filed by Buju’s legal team, seeking an acquittal and a new trial.

This comes four months after Buju was convicted in the US Middle District Court, Florida Division, of conspiring to set up a drug deal in a Florida warehouse.

The reggae icon, who has been in custody since his arrest in December 2009, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years to life in prison.

Anxiety has been increasing among close friends, relatives and supporters of the reggae artiste as the singer’s sentencing date draws closer.

Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years when he appears before United States Judge Jim Moody.

Still, Banton’s legal team, led by David Oscar Markus, will argue today for a sentence below the 15 years. Two weeks ago, the lawyers filed a motion contending that the minimum sentence would be cruel and unusual punishment.

“The 10-year minimum mandatory sentence for the drug count and the five-year minimum mandatory consecutive sentence for the gun count are unconstitutional in this case because it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment and also because it constitutes too severe a penalty for proceeding to trial,” the lawyers said in their filing.
The lawyers also stated that the court is well aware that, according to the ruling in the case of the United States v Booker, a sentence “calculated pursuant to the United States Sentencing Guidelines is no longer mandatory”. The lawyers also said that Banton’s limited role in the drug offence entitles him to a reduction in sentence, while citing the artiste’s good character and clean record as it relates to the offence for which he was convicted.

Among the documents filed were excerpts from letters written by four of the artiste’s 15 children, pleading with Moody to spare their father the harsh sentence. The document also contained letters from a number of people, including renowned actor Danny Glover, NBA player Etan Thomas, Vibe Magazine editor-at-large Rob Kenner and reggae artiste Stephen Marley.

“Buju remains optimistic and hopeful. He is a true warrior, from the days of the old school. I won’t stop fighting for him,” Markus told the Observer over the weekend.
Today will also see a decision on a motion by the artiste seeking an acquittal or the holding of a new trial. An appeal is also pending for the guilty verdict against the artiste.

The rastafarian artiste was arrested by drug enforcement agents at his home in Tamarac, South Florida on December 10, 2009 after a drug bust in which two of his co-accused, Ian Thomas and James Mack, were arrested after they attempted to purchase more than five kilogrammes of cocaine in a police-controlled warehouse in that state.

He has consistently maintained his innocence and claims he was entrapped by the US Government.