Rapper Lil Wayne has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Miami, Florida.
The federal offense carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison as convicted felons are barred under federal law from owning firearms.
Documents filed in Miami federal court on Tuesday stated the star – real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. – was caught in possession of a gun and ammunition in December last year.
The 38-year-old rapper is said to have acknowledged owning the gold-plated handgun after his luggage was searched upon arriving in Miami on a private plane.
The Lollipop rapper is reported to have told investigators that the gun was a Father’s Day gift.
Lil Wayne’s attorney, Howard Srebnick, argued in an email that there are legal questions about whether possession of a weapon by a felon not seen to be dangerous fits the definition of a crime.
Investigators also reported finding suspected illegal drugs in the luggage, but Carter has not been charged with a drug offense.
An initial court date on the weapons charge is set for December 11 in Miami federal court.
The charge stems from a weapons conviction of the rapper in New York over a decade ago, for which he was sentenced to eight months in prison.
