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Tommy Lee Sparta Sentenced To 3 Years On Gun Charge


Dancehall artist Tommy Lee Sparta has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition and was sentenced to three years in jail. Sparta, whose real name is Leroy Russell, appeared before the High Court Division of the Gun Court today and was represented by Queens Counsel Tom Tavares Finson and Donahue Martin.

The Under Vibes artist has been in custody since he was arrested on December 14, 2020, by members of the JCF’s Specialized Operations Unit, after a Toyota Mark X motorcar in which he was traveling was intercepted on Holborn Road, in St Andrew. The popular deejay was searched, and a 9mm pistol containing 18 rounds of ammunition was found in his waistband.


For the illegal possession of a firearm charge, he received a three-year sentence. On the ammunition charge, he was slapped with two years in prison. The sentences are to run concurrently.


Sentencing for illegal possession of firearm charges is typically between 10 to 15 years as was seen in the recent case of Mavado’s son, Dantay Brooks. However, a number of mitigating factors worked in Tommy Lee Sparta’s favor.


“The mitigating factors were that he pleaded guilty on the first relevant court date, he had already served three months for the offence and he has no previous convictions,” attorney-at-law Donahue Martin told DancehallMag.


“Plus, Tommy Lee Sparta was gainfully employed in the local music industry, and he is a contributing member of society. Those factors helped him to get a reduced sentence.”

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