Tommy Lee Sparta charged for illegal gun, ammo

Dancehall entertainer Tommy Lee Sparta looks set to spend Christmas behind bars, after being charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition yesterday.

The artiste, given name Leroy Russell, was charged in relation to a police operation on Holborn Road, St Andrew, on Monday.

According to a Twitter post from the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), about 6 p.m., a Toyota Mark X motor vehicle was stopped, the occupants searched and the firearm found in the deejay’s waistband. The tweet said the deejay “remains in police custody and is to appear in court to answer to the charges on January 6.” The tweet also said the deejay is being investigated in relation to other crimes. The other men who were detained with the deejay also remain in custody and are being investigated by the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime unit.

Tommy Lee Sparta retained the services of the Queen’s Counsel Tom Tavares-Finson and attorney-at-law Donahue Martin.

“He was not charged in my presence and I left his presence at about 1 a.m. this morning (Tuesday). I learnt about the charges on social media,” said Martin. “It would not be prudent, certainly for me, to comment on the nature of the allegation without having formal disclosure. With that, we will be able to know the potential evidence against our client and we can have a determination to the matter one way or the other. I have been able to speak to him but I can’t comment beyond that.”

DECLINED TO COMMENT

Martin said that he understood that as a public figure, persons would like to know how his client is doing, but declined to comment on the physical or mental state of the Blessings deejay.

It has been an eventful year for Tommy Lee Sparta, who turned himself in to the Freeport Police Station in Montego Bay on July 7, after being named a person of interest.

While in custody, he was rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital after complaints about stomach pain and vomiting. He was released from custody weeks later without charge.

Tommy Lee Sparta was also cleared of lottery scamming charges in 2018, after being charged with possession of identity information and unlawful use of premises.