Tommy Lee Sparta, Rytikal Return To Court Tomorrow On Illegal Gun Possession Charges
Dancehall deejays Tommy Lee Sparta and Rytikal will return to court tomorrow on separate charges of possession of firearm and ammunition.
Sparta will appear in the High Court Division of the Gun Court on March 24. One of his attorneys-at-law, Donahue Martin said he was unable to share any details about the upcoming in-camera session. “I can’t speak because those gun court matters are in camera,” he told DancehallMag.
The Blessings artist, who is facing gun and ammunition charges, was arrested on December 14, 2020, by members of the JCF’s Specialized Operations Unit.
He was apprehended after a Toyota Mark X motorcar in which he was traveling was intercepted on Holborn Road, in St Andrew. Tommy Lee — whose birth name is Leroy Russell — was searched, and a 9mm pistol containing 18 rounds of ammunition was allegedly found in his waistband.
He has had several run-ins with the law over the last six years.
A former member of Vybz Kartel’s Portmore “Gaza” Empire, Tommy Lee Sparta got his musical break in 2012. He is known for songs including Spartan Soldier, Spartan Angel, Psycho, Rich Badness, and Blessings.
Rytikal, who will go to trial tomorrow, March 24, is also battling a charge of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.
According to police reports, on January 28, police were on patrol in Eight Miles, Bull Bay, St Andrew when Rytikal was reportedly seen acting in a suspicious manner. Police say they questioned the artist and following a search of his car, a Taurus .380 pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition were found.
Rytikal, who reportedly told the police that the weapon was a prop for a music video, was taken into custody and later charged.
The 25-year-old deejay, whose real name is Ryan McFarlane, is being represented by attorney-at-law Able-Don Foote. He is best known for singles such as Cookie Jar and King Inna War, and hails from the East Syde Records camp which is also home to popular artist Skillibeng.
Over a four-month period, no fewer than four artistes have been slapped with illegal gun charges.
Another one is emerging dancehall artist, Shokryme, who recently pleaded guilty to illegal gun charges. The artiste, whose real name is Jason Pinnock, pleaded guilty to charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition on January 15. He will be sentenced soon.
Shokryme was arrested on November 25, 2020, after he was found with a Ruger P-10 C in his waistband, by police on patrol along the Hellshire Road in Greater Portmore. The illegal gun contained a magazine with seven rounds of ammo.
The fourth is Laden who pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to four years in prison on gun charges, after his arrest in October 2020 following a police chase.