Lil Wayne changes plea from 'not guilty' to 'guilty' in drug case

On Monday morning, the Grammy Award-winning rapper appeared in an Arizona court via video from a New York jail to change his plea in a 2008 drugs and gun case to guilty, reports the Associated Press.

The Yuma County arrest
The 27-year-old rap superstar was nabbed in January 2008 by federal drug agents near Yuma, Arizona after they found nearly four ounces of marijuana, more than an ounce of cocaine, 41 grams of Ecstacy and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia.

Wayne was arrested when his charter bus was stopped at a California-Arizona border checkpoint. Border patrol agents stopped his bus, with 12 people on board, after a dog alerted them to possible drugs on board. Authorities also found a .40-caliber handgun on his tour bus.

The incarcerated rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. and who also goes by the moniker ‘Weezy,’ appeared in a Yuma County, Arizona, courtroom on Monday through live video feed to change his original "not guilty" plea to “guilty.”

The Cash Money Records superstar was then booked on three felony counts for possession of dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of narcotics and misconduct involving weapons. At the time he pleaded not guilty to all the felony charges.

Change of guilty plea
The incarcerated rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. and who also goes by the moniker ‘Weezy,’ appeared in a Yuma County, Arizona, courtroom on Monday through live video feed to change his original "not guilty" plea to “guilty.”

Perhaps one of the greatest rappers alive, Wayne currently is serving his time in New York’s Rikers Island prison on weapons charges, stemming from an incident in July 2007.

The platinum-selling entertainer started the one-year sentence in March for being caught in possession of a loaded handgun.

But he appeared in an Arizona court via video feed Monday from Rikers Island and entered a guilty plea to one count of possession of a dangerous drug.

Chances of more jail time lessen
The change of plea that came as part of a plea agreement-with prosecutors in Yuma County Superior Court on Friday morning could keep the rapper out of jail.

The Lollipop hitmaker can escape further jail confinement after talking to U.S. prosecutors and changing his plea.

As part of the plea agreement, Yuma County Superior Court Judge Mark Wayne Reeves dismissed charges of possession of a narcotic drug for sale, weapons misconduct and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Wayne could receive 36 months probation in the plea deal, according to a report by CNN, citing court documents from Yuma County Superior Court in Arizona.

The acclaimed rapper can face a maximum sentence of three-plus years in prison if convicted in the Arizona case, the report says.

The Yuma County sentencing will take place on June 30.

About the rap superstar
Born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., on Sept. 27, 1979, in New Orleans, LA, Lil Wayne is a multiplatinum-selling and Grammy-winning rap artist, whose hits include 'The Block is Hot' and 'Lollipop.'

Wayne’s album ‘Tha Carter III’ was the biggest-selling U.S. release of 2008 and won him best rap album and three other prizes at the 2009 Grammy Awards. His latest album, ‘Rebirth,’ was released earlier this year.

Lil Wayne married Antonia "Toya" Carter on Feb.14, 2004 when he was 21. Together they had a daughter named Reginae Carter. He named her after his step father Reginald "Rabbit" Carter. They separated in 2006. Lil Wayne has been romantically linked to Nivea, Trina, and Karrine Steffans.