Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Thursday for conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, authorities said.
Banton, a Grammy-winning artist, was also found guilty of another drug trafficking offense and a gun charge.
Buju Banton, 37, was busted by an informant working for the Drug Enforcement Agency. He told the informant he could broker a cocaine deal.
Banton later testified that he was just bragging to the informant, but a video of Banton testing cocaine in a Florida warehouse convinced a jury that he was guilty.
Banton (real name Mark Anthony Myrie) was slammed by gay groups after his 1988 hit, “Boom Bye Bye.” The lyrics promote shooting and burning gay men.
He will serve his time at the FCI prison facility in Miami.
