US rapper Lil Wayne sentenced to a year in prison

Entertainment News…BBC(March 9, 2010)…Rapper Lil Wayne has been sentenced to a year in prison after pleading guilty to gun possession.

The charges were linked to his arrest in 2007 when a gun was found on his tour bus.

His lawyer said the rapper expected to be held in protective custody, separated from other prisoners, at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex.

The 27-year-old Grammy-Award winning singer delivered a brief bow as he was led from Manhattan criminal court.

Lil Wayne, who has vowed to keep writing while behind bars, had already said goodbye to his fans during recent concerts and in video messages posted online. “He knew what he had to do, and he’s doing it,” said his lawyer, Stacey Richman.

The star – real name Dwayne Carter – could be released in about eight months if he behaves well, reports suggest.

His sentencing came after several delays. The first date was postponed to allow the rapper to have dental work. The second had to be rearranged after a fire broke out in the New York court complex.