The US
famous rapper TI was arrested on Saturday by the agents of the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). TI, whose real name is
Clifford Harris was caught in a parking lot in Atlanta, Georgia,
where he tried to collect three machine guns and two silencers bought for him
by his bodyguard.
According to a statement released by DOJ, the investigation
which led to Harris’ arrest begun earlier this month when an employee of a
federal firearms licensee advised ATF that an individual was seeking to
purchase a machine gun without registering the weapon as required by law.
The individual was arrested on October 10 by ATF after he
purchased three unregistered machine guns and two silencers.
After the arrest he advised the agents that he was
purchasing the machine guns on October 10 on behalf of Clifford Harris, aka
"T.I.," an entertainer for whom he had been working as a bodyguard
since July 2007.
He admitted to straw purchasing about nine firearms for Harris
and about 17 firearms for other persons on previous occasions. Firearm purchase
records confirm that the CW has purchased about 25 firearms over the past 18
months.
Harris has a prior felony conviction and therefore cannot
lawfully purchase or possess firearms under federal law. He agreed to cooperate with ATF and he called
Harris saying that the rapper should come pick his weapons.
After Harris was arrested the ATF agents found other three
guns in the car he was driving and ATF also executed a federal search warrant
at Harris' house at Creekview Lane
in College Park,
finding six additional firearms in his bedroom closet.
TI was charged with two felony offenses: possession of
unregistered machine guns [and silencers] and possession of firearms by a
convicted felon.
He is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan J.
Baverman at the United States Courthouse in Atlanta on Monday, October 15, at a time to
be determined by the court.
The arrest occurred joust hours before the BET Hip-Hop
Awards, where TI was nominated in nine categories, such as Best Live
Performance, Lyricist Of The Year, MVP, Track of The Year, Hustler Of The Year,
Best Ringtone.
Because he was taken into the custody, TI’s award for CD of
the Year was accepted by rapper Common, who jointly won the prize with TI.
He also was supposed to take the stage at the
2nd Annual BET Hip Hop Awards to perform alongside Wyclef Jean for their
nominated collaboration, "You Know What It Is". His place was taken
by the show host, Katt Williams.
The fifth album by TI, TI vs. TIP, was released in July and
it has debuted as number one on the Billboard 200.
He will appear in American Gangster movie, which is slated
for release on November 2. In the movie TI is playing the role of Frank Lucas’ (Denzel
Washington) nephew.
