Thursday, June 23, 2011 1:00pm ET by  
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Buju Banton sentenced to ten years for cocaine charge

Reggae star Buju Banton has been sentenced to 10 years in a United States federal prison for his conviction for conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine.

Banton was also found guilty of another drug trafficking offence and a gun charge.

At the sentencing hearing, US District Judge, James Moody, said that the 10-year sentence was the minimal allowed by federal guidelines.

Banton's attorney David Markus has requested that the Grammy-winning singer serve out his time in a prison near Miami in order to be close to his family.

Video and audio recordings made by the informant working for the Drug Enforcement Administration, including a video in which Banton appeared to be testing cocaine in a Florida warehouse, convinced the jury that he was guilty.

Watch this interview with Buju Banton, below: