Lil Wayne is facing up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a weapons charge in Miami federal court on Friday. The case stems from an incident in December 2019 when an anonymous tip sent law enforcement to Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, where the 38-year-old rapper (born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) landed after traveling from California. Officers, who secured a search warrant after Lil Wayne told them he had a gun in his bag, looked through his belongings and found a gold-plated Remington 1911, .45-caliber handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition. The Associated Press reported that he told investigators the handgun was a Father’s Day gift.
“The charge is that because he was convicted of a felony in the past, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm,” said Howard Srebnick, the rapper’s attorney. Lil Wayne was previously convicted of a gun possession charge in 2010, for which he served eight months of a one-year sentence. His sentencing hearing for the latest charge is scheduled for Jan. 28. Although he’s facing up to a decade in federal prison, AP reported that he’ll likely serve less time. He is currently free on $250,000 bail.