Updated October 18, 2007 -- Rap superstar T.I., born Clifford Harris, Jr., was indicted Wednesday on federal weapons charges. The 27-year-old rap star is charged with possessing unregistered machine guns and silencers; unlawfully possessing machine guns; and of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. See a slideshow of the guns involved in the case here.
He hired new lawyers, Ed Garland and his longtime partner, Don Samuel who now have the tough job of keeping T.I. out of jail. But given T.I.'s record and his status as a convicted felon, that may be a tough call.
But the Atlanta-based lawyers have successfully defended high-profile clients before. Most notably, they defended NFL star Ray Lewis in a murder case stemming from two fatal stabbings outside an Atlanta nightclub in 2000. Lewis ultimately pled to a misdeameanor charge and murder charges were dropped.
Handcuffed and with his legs chained, dressed in a black shirt and pants, T.I. made a brief appearance in an Atlanta courtroom Monday, answering the judge politely when asked if he was aware of the charges against him.
T.I. was taken into custody just hours before he was to take the stage at BET's 2nd Annual Hip-Hop Awards. As the top nominee, with nine total, T.I. was expected to perform with both Wyclef Jean and Busta Rhymes. Instead, federal authorities took him into custody, alleging that he gave his bodyguard cash to buy firearms.
Harris is accused of giving his bodyguard $21,000 in cash to purchase machine guns for him, since T.I. is prohibited from owning weapons as a convicted felon. The bodyguard, acting as a confidential witness, then purchased nine weapons for the rapper and one weapon for another unnamed person. According to the AJC.com, Harris was charged with two felonies - possession of three unregistered machine guns with two silencers, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. Harris was arrested at approximately 2: 30 p.m., in the parking lot of Walgreens drug store at the corner of North and Piedmont Avenues in Atlanta. See the arrest timeline here.
His longtime girlfriend, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle and Grand Hustle artists Young Dro and Mac Boney were arrested as well. See the photos of their arrest here. Cottle was charged with marijuana and ectsasy possession and released. Neither Dro nor Mac Boney were charged. Young Dro was quoted as saying, "We're going to be all right. It's just a mistake. Everybody's entitled to some. We'll be OK."
Authorities began an investigation when a federal firearms dealer contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives earlier this month after a man inquired about buying a machine gun without registering the weapon. Harris' bodyguard, in his employ since July, was arrested Wednesday on charges of trying to purchase a gun from a federal agent and became a "cooperating witness."
"This investigation developed very quickly," Vanessa McLemore, an ATF special agent, said in a statement. "We learned only this Wednesday that the cooperating witness was allegedly buying the machine guns for Harris. The cooperating witness told Harris on Thursday that he had obtained the items, and on Friday Harris made it clear that he wanted them delivered to him [Saturday]. Harris then agreed to meet and took possession of the machine guns [Saturday] afternoon." Read the Department of Justice press release here.
A witness at the scene described it as "total drama" saying that a large group of police and federal agents with guns drawn ordered T.I. and other men to the ground. He says a Range Rover and a tan Suburban were towed from the parking lot, according to AJC.com. Several weapons were found in one of the vehicles.
As the BET Hip-Hop Awards taping went on, T.I's large home in the College Park section of Atlanta was being raided. ATF agents found three rifles, two pistols and a revolver. Five of the weapons were loaded. Three guns were identified as weapons purchased by the confidential witness and delivered to Harris. Agents also seized ten boxes of items from his garage and papers and files, the AJC.com said.
A women who identified herself as Harris' mother pulled up in a GMC Yukon with what she said was Harris' lawyer on a cell phone. She asked an ATF agent for an accounting of items seized in the raid. She would not speak with reporters on the scene.
READ ON FOR REACTION FROM THE HIP-HOP AWARDS AND MORE DETAILS.