Buju moved to different jail

Convicted Reggae artiste Buju Banton has been transferred from the Pinellas County Jail to the Citrus County Jail in Tampa, Florida.

The artiste will be processed by correctional staff at that penal facility before he knows where he will spend his 10 year sentence for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilogrammes of cocaine. His attorney David Oscar Markus told the Observer that the prison board had not yet decided which prison Banton will be housed.

He was sentenced in the Sam Gibbons US Court by Judge James Moody two Thursdays ago.

Banton, whose is registered as Mark Anthony Myrie, will not have any of his assets seized by the United States government after testimony by a drug enforcement agent that despite investigating him for over a year, there was no evidence that he profited from any illicit drug transaction.

He was arrested in December 2009 at his home in South Florida hours after his two co-defendants, Ian Thomas and James Mack were arrested after they attempted to buy large amounts of cocaine from federal agents in a police controlled warehouse.

Both men have pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 51 months.

Banton meanwhile has signalled his intention to earn a Masters degree in political science and economics during his incarceration.

Despite being sentenced to 10 years, the Grammy winning artiste could be set free in six years as his 18 month remand while awaiting the outcome of his trial and good behaviour while in prison could see him spending just six years.