Rapper-actor Ja Rule was sentenced to two years in state prison on Wednesday for possessing a loaded firearm in 2007. Ja Rule, who is also known as Jeff Atkins, pleaded guilty in December 2010 to one count of second degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon.
Manhattan D.A. Cy Vance made the announcement about Ja Rule on Wednesday saying that the 35-year-old chart-topping rap artist has to obey the law and be penalized like everyone else.
“Carrying an illegal gun in New York City puts the safety of all New Yorkers at risk,” said Vance. “Whether you are a Grammy-nominated musician or a teenager carrying a gun for a friend, justice is blind. This sentence should put all illegal gun owners in New York on notice.”
Ja Rule was arrested in 2007 after a concert at the Beacon Theater when police found a 40-caliber semiautomatic gun in his car. He is best known for hip-hop singles “Always on Time,” “Livin’ it Up” and “Holla Holla.” Ja Rule also appeared in several films including “The Fast and the Furious.”