A co-defendant of Jamaican reggae singer Buju Banton has agreed to cooperate with the government as part of a plea deal in his drug case.
Banton, a four-time Grammy nominee, is set to stand trial Sept. 20 along with another codefendant, James Mack, on charges they participated in a cocaine deal in Sarasota. The third codefendant, Ian Thomas, will plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilos or more of cocaine, according to an agreement filed today. The charge carries up to life in federal prison. Eight days after the scheduled start of the trial, Banton's record company is set to release his ninth studio album, "Before the Dawn," in the United States. The album was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, before his arrest in December. "The album's unofficial anthem, 'Innocent' strikes a highly personal chord that will resonate deeply with longtime fans," according to a press release from Gargamel Music Inc. Banton, 37, has been held without bail since his arrest on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting his codefendants in possessing a firearm during the course of the cocaine distribution.
