Lil Wayne has been charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, a rep for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida confirmed to Urban Hollywood 411 Tuesday.
The charge dates back to an incident on Dec. 23, 2019, when the rapper was stopped at a Miami airport by federal investigators after arriving on a private plane. The Miami Herald reported a search warrant said Lil Wayne told authorities the gold-plated handgun he was found in possession of was a Father’s Day gift.
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The hip-hop star’s attorney, Howard Srebnick, told The Herald that mere possession of a weapon by a felon may not fit the definition of a crime.
“Carter is charged with possessing a gold-plated handgun in his luggage on a private plane. There is no allegation that he ever fired it, brandished it, used it or threatened to use it,” Srebnick stated. “There is no allegation that he is a dangerous person.”
Weezy, whose full name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is expected to make an appearance in Miami federal court on Dec. 11, 2020.
If convicted, the 38-year-old Grammy Award winner could face up to 10 years in prison.
Lil Wayne previously pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon and served eight months out of a one-year jail sentence in 2010.
Under federal law, convicted felons are not allowed to own firearms.
