Harlem rapper Juelz Santana has been sentenced to two years in prison for carrying a loaded handgun and oxycodone pills aboard a plane in March, according to TMZ. The Dipset rapper was arrested this spring after fleeing from the Newark airport when the gun was discovered by TSA screening officers. They later discovered eight oxycodone pills after a more thorough search.
After finally surrendering to police, Juelz’ case was transferred to federal court, and later arranged a plea deal in order to avoid a lengthy trial process. As a convicted felon, Juelz pled guilty to unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in order to also avoid the maximum sentences that could have been attached to each, considering his felon status. As it stands now, he’ll be locked up for 27 months, with a year of supervised release to follow. There is no set surrender date yet.
The sentencing couldn’t come at a worse time for Juelz, whose career finally seemed to be on the upswing again after his rap group The Diplomats — consisting of Juelz, Cam’ron, and Jim Jones — finally reunited after a decade-long hiatus full of drama and brotherly infighting to release a new album, Diplomatic Ties. Its attention-grabbing single, “On God,” and its head-turning intro dissing Kanye West ensured publicity and promised an updated, refined sound which could have rejuvenated the group for the streaming era. Now, any plans for a grand comeback may have to go on hold as Juelz prepares for a long, enforced vacation.
