Rapper T.I. (pleads guilty to firearms charges)

Faces about 1 year in prison, long community service By BILL RANKIN The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 03/27/08 Atlanta rapper T.I. today pleaded guilty to three weapons charges in federal court in Atlanta. T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., entered his plea shortly after 1:30 p.m. He pleaded guilty to two counts of illegally possessing machine guns and silencers, and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. AJC T.I. RELATED: • Photos: Guns in the case • T.I. falls hard and fast • Timeline leading to arrest • Read complaint (PDF) • Explainer: The weapons ENTERTAINMENT LINKS: • Photos: T.I. performances • T.I.'s Easter U.S. District Court Judge Charles Pannell Jr. scheduled Harris' sentencing a year from now, on March 27, 2009. If Harris abides by the conditions set in his plea agreement, he will receive a prison sentence of one year plus one day. Because the sentence is longer than one year, Harris will be eligible to earn 15 percent time off for good behavior. Over the next year, Harris must perform at least 1,000 hours of community service, which includes speaking to "at-risk young people," promoting respect for law enforcement, and opposing violence, illegal and reckless use of firearms, illegal drugs and gang activity. Harris did not make any statements during the hearing, offering only polite replies of "yes" and "no" to the judge's questions. "Are you guilty of these charges?" Panell asked Harris. "Yes, your Honor," said Harris, who donned a gray suit at the hearing. Harris was indicted in October on weapons charges that include illegally possessing three machine guns and two silencers and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Federal prosecutors and Harris' defense team had been engaged in intense plea negotiations the past several weeks. Harris was arrested in a sting in a Midtown parking lot on Oct. 13 as he allegedly tried to buy the weapons just hours before he was to receive two top awards at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta. Harris, one of the