Ian Thomas the co-accused in the case raised against reggae star Buju Banton, was yesterday sentenced to 51 months ( 4 1/4 years) in prison at a federal court in Tampa, Florida.
Thomas' sentence far exceeds the 8 months he requested in court documents last week after co-operating with the prosecution against Buju Banton.
According to papers filed in the Sam M Gibbons Federal Court last Friday. Mr. Thomas "requests that the court deem a sentence of 18 months more than reasonable in this case".
Thomas' refusal to testify in court was of tremendous help to the prosecution and in Buju's conviction. Thomas also said in the filing, "he did not stand to benefit from any sale of cocaine and that his only function was to seek a buyer for the cocaine that the Government's confidential source had presented".
"After consideration of the factors enumerated... this court should find that a sentence below the advisory guideline range is sufficient but not greater than the necessary to achieve the purposes of sentencing," said the document.
Thomas had been a longtime friend to the reggae artist and was also arrested in the undercover operation in Florida.
Buju is expected to know his sentence on June 16th.
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