Tommy Lee Sparta Released From Prison
Dancehall entertainer Tommy Lee Sparta, whose real name is Leroy Russell Jr., has been released early from prison.
Entertainment insider Heavy D confirmed that the deejay was released from the Horizon Remand Centre in Kingston at about 11 am this morning (March 23).
“Yeah man, breaking news, the deejay de a road,” Heavy D said.
Checks with the artist’s lawyer, Tom Tavares-Finson, also confirmed that the Rich Badness deejay was now a free man. “I have heard that he has been released,” Tavares-Finson told DancehallMag.
In March 2021, Tommy Lee Sparta was sentenced to three years for possession of an illegal gun and two years for possession of illegal ammunition.
The sentences ran concurrently and included the time served from when he was arrested for the crime in December 2020.
He had been found with the firearm along Holborn Road in New Kingston by members of the police SWAT division.
It was Sparta’s first conviction following several run-ins with the law over the last decade.
In an Instagram post in November 2022, a seemingly reformed Sparta called for criminals to abandon their illegal firearms.
He used a clip from one of Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ presentations at a sitting of the House of Representatives, which he described as a “fair speech,” to drive his point home about alleviating illegal guns in the country.
“Me nah lie not a #pnp or #jlp, but this is a fair speech,” he wrote. “Unno put up the gun them an Mek we full joy life happiness come first.”
Adding that he is setting an example, the Spartan Soldier declared that he had buried the hatchet with all his foes.
“Mek me say this first I FORGIVE MY ENEMIES. Me want unno #iforgivemyenemies or #iforgiveyou a move onn. It take more energy to hate love is easier,” he added.
The 33-year-old artist got his big break in 2012 as a former member of Vybz Kartel‘s Portmore “Gaza” Empire and is best known for Spartan Soldier, Spartan Angel, Psycho, Rich Badness, and Blessings.
While in prison, Sparta enjoyed the release of Protocol with Skeng, his most successful song to date. Protocol, released in November 2021, has racked up over 50 million views on YouTube.
He also released a 26-track double album titled Transition, which showcased his “ying-yang” personality with collaborations from Chronic Law, Laden, Skillibeng, Jahvillani, Honey Milan, Dre Swade, Stylo G, Acemark, Leaha, and his son Skirdle Sparta.