Clifford Harris, a.k.a 'T.I.,' Sentenced to Prison on Federal Firearms Charges
Results of Defendant's Extensive and Unique Community Service Program Also Presented at Hearing
ATLANTA, March 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Clifford J. Harris Jr., a.k.a. "T.I.," 27, of College Park, Ga., was sentenced today by U.S.
District Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr. on charges of unlawfully possessing machine guns and silencers and possession of firearms by a
convicted felon, announced David Nahmias, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
Harris was sentenced to serve one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also sentenced to
serve 365 days of home confinement and 1,500 hours of community service, with credit for approximately 305 days of home confinement and
1,030 hours of community service that he completed before sentencing. In addition, Harris was ordered to pay a fine of $100,000. Harris has
agreed to forfeit all of the firearms and ammunition involved in the offenses and to waive appeal.
"We are very pleased with the result in this case," said David E. Nahmias, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. "Mr. Harris has
received a significant penalty for the serious firearms offenses he committed, including spending the next year in federal prison, a year in
home confinement, and three years on supervised release. His prison sentence was reduced from what it might have been, but the public got
something very significant in exchange: the extensive and unique community service program that Mr. Harris committed to doing when he
pleaded guilty. By all accounts, his community service has been a remarkable success - it certainly exceeded our expectations - and there is
still more to come when he gets out of prison."
Mr. Nahmias continued, "Preventing crime is a critically important law enforcement objective. Many of us spend considerable time trying to
reach young people and teach them about the importance of leading law-abiding and productive lives -- but we have real trouble connecting
with the kids most at risk. For the past year, Mr. Harris has used his high public visibility, his exceptional communication skills, and his
real-world life experience to deliver the right message to literally thousands of kids. He has told them about the mistakes he has made and
educated them about the dangers of violence, guns, gangs and drugs. Young people have wanted to hear from 'T.I.,' and we are confident that
at least some of those kids will lead better and more law-abiding lives as a result. That is a very positive result for our communities, and it
merits a sentence reduction for Mr. Harris, just as we routinely reduce sentences for defendants whose assistance leads to another
conviction."
"I hope that young people are paying close attention to this case and realize that no one who commits gun offenses is immune from
investigation, prosecution and possible prison time," said Special Agent-in-Charge Gregory Gant of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives (ATF). "Those who commit such crimes can, and will, face very real consequences for their actions. Every day, ATF agents
work aggressively to prevent and address violent crime and the criminal misuse of firearms in our communities. The last place that machine
guns and silencers should be is in the hands of a convicted felon."
Harris pleaded guilty to the charges on March 27, 2008. His sentencing was deferred for one year pursuant to his binding plea agreement, for
the purpose of allowing him to perform the extensive community service program that he proposed. That program was designed to promote
respect for the law and law enforcement, oppose violence, illegal and reckless use of firearms, illegal drugs, and gang activity, and focus on
at-risk young people and educating them about the mistakes Harris has made. During the deferral period, HARRIS remained under strict
bond conditions, including but not limited to constant supervision by a court-approved monitor; wearing a GPS location monitor; consenting to
random, unannounced searches; traveling only for pre-approved work and community service; abiding by a curfew when at home and when
traveling; having all visitors identified, listed, and searched; refraining from the use of alcohol and illegal drugs and testing for the same; and
maintaining a $3 million cash bond.
At the sentencing hearing, the court found that Harris had fully complied with the conditions of his plea agreement and bond. More information
about the community service that Harris has performed is available in the Sentencing Memorandum filed by his counsel, which is available
upon request.
According to U.S. Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court, including the Stipulated Statement of Facts underlying the guilty
plea: In 1998, Harris was convicted of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute in Cobb County, Ga. Thereafter, as a convicted
felon he could not lawfully buy, receive, or possess firearms or ammunition of any kind. During September and October 2007, one of Harris'
bodyguards purchased nine firearms for Harris at his request. The bodyguard delivered these firearms to Harris at his residence in College
Park. Harris took possession of the firearms and placed some or all of them in a hidden compartment inside a closet in his bedroom.
On Oct. 10, 2007, HARRIS arranged for the same bodyguard to pick up $12,000 in cash from Harris' bank. Harris told the bodyguard to use the
cash to buy machine guns for him. Later that day, the bodyguard was arrested by ATF agents after he purchased three machine guns for
Harris, and also bought two silencers to deliver to Harris, from an undercover ATF agent. The machine guns and silencers were not
registered to the bodyguard or to Harris in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as would be required for a lawful
purchase of machine guns or silencers.
After his arrest, the bodyguard agreed to assist the ATF. He advised the ATF agents that the machine guns were being purchased for Harris
and disclosed his previous firearms purchases for Harris. This was the first the agents knew of Harris' involvement. The bodyguard made
several monitored/recorded telephone calls to Harris, during which the two discussed delivery of the weapons. Harris said he wanted to take
possession of the "items" or "product" (meaning the machine guns), and Harris and the bodyguard agreed to meet in the parking lot of a
Publix shopping center in midtown Atlanta. The meeting was arranged for the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007. Harris arrived at the
shopping center driving a Range Rover sport utility vehicle, with a female and a male passenger inside. The bodyguard got into the back seat
of the Range Rover and showed Harris the machine guns and silencers, which the bodyguard had carried to the meeting in a duffel-type bag.
Harris asked the bodyguard, "Is there anything special I need to know?" Harris and the bodyguard then discussed the semi-automatic and
fully-automatic functioning of the machine guns. Harris inspected the weapons and noted that the silencers were designed for "no flash, no
bang." Harris also asked the bodyguard whether ammunition was included for the machine guns and asked what caliber rounds were used
in the weapons.
ATF agents then moved in and arrested Harris. During a subsequent search of the Range Rover vehicle, ATF agents found a loaded .40
caliber pistol tucked between the driver's seat, where Harris had been sitting, and the center console. This firearm had been purchased by the
bodyguard on Sept. 6, 2007, and Harris knew it was in his vehicle. ATF agents also found a loaded .45 caliber pistol in the back passenger
seat and another loaded .45 caliber pistol in a piece of luggage in the rear storage area that also contained Harris' clothing and personal
items. The latter pistol had been purchased by the bodyguard for Harris and delivered to his residence on Sept. 26, 2007. Following his arrest,
Harris waived his Miranda rights, was interviewed by ATF agents, and admitted that he handled the machine guns in the vehicle.
Later that same day, Oct. 13, 2007, ATF agents, accompanied by Deputy U.S. Marshals, Fulton County, Ga., Police Officers, and Fulton County,
Ga., Sheriff's Deputies, executed a federal search warrant at Harris' residence in College Park. During the search, the agents found two rifles
and a pistol, with magazines and ammunition, all of which had been purchased for Harris by the bodyguard, inside Harris' bedroom closet.
The agents also found two more pistols and one revolver, along with pistol boxes and ammunition, some of which had been purchased for
Harris by the bodyguard, inside a compartment behind a false wall within his bedroom closet. The compartment was secured with a biometric
lock that required Harris' fingerprint to open and had last been opened by Harris the previous day. The agents also found additional
ammunition and firearms boxes in Harris' bedroom.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the ATF. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Todd Alley and Francey Hakes prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
CONTACT: Patrick Crosby of the Office of United States Attorney David
Nahmias, Northern District of Georgia, +1-404-581-6061
Web Site: http://www.usdoj.gov/
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The-Dream's "Love vs. Money" Rated 4.5/5 by Rolling Stone!
Check out Rolling Stone's 4.5/5 review of The-Dream's hot new album Love vs. Money, out tomorrow, March 10th 2009!
"Over the past couple of years, The–Dream has become, as he repeatedly boasts on Love vs. Money, a "radio killa . . . R&B gorilla." The
Atlanta recording studio that the singer — songwriter shares with beat magician Tricky Stewart became a virtual hit factory, churning out
tuneful and inventive smashes for the likes of Rihanna ("Umbrella") and Beyoncé ("Single Ladies").
But with his second CD, the man born Terius Nash leaps into another league. These 14 songs draw on pro forma R&B subject matter: sex,
sex in VIP rooms, breakup sex, makeup sex. But the combination of classicist songcraft, wild sound collage and a muse that partakes equally
of the sensual and the silly makes Love vs. Money far more than just an accomplished genre piece. The most obvious model is R. Kelly,
whom Dream name–checks in the swirling slow-jam "Kelly's 12 Play," a tale of a musically enhanced sexcapade. "Sweat It Out" is a hilarious
conceit about sex and grooming that begins with Dream cautioning, "Girl, call up Tisha, your beautician/'Cause your hair is gon' need fixin'."
Tricky's beats call to mind both Timbaland and Trent Reznor, filled with blasts of dissonance, jazzlike chord changes, and background shouts
and hisses that ricochet across the stereo spectrum, and in the six–and–a–half–minute mini–epic "Fancy," a symphonic multitracked chorale.
The end result is genuinely odd: at once avant-garde dance music and radio-friendly pop, sex farce that is genuinely sexy. There isn't a weak
song on Money; most of them are unforgettable. "Cupid ain't got shit on me," Dream sings. In 2009, Cupid's not alone." Rolling Stone, 2009
Love vs. Money, in stores tomorrow! Get your copy!
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COMEDIAN DANE COOK ANNOUNCES 'ISOLATED INCIDENT - GLOBAL THERMO COMEDY TOUR'
LOS ANGELES, CA, March 8, 2009 - Fresh on the heels of the announcement of his Comedy Central special and comedy album, ISolated
INcident, comedian Dane Cook has now announced plans to take his material on the road with the ISolated INcident - Global Thermo
Comedy Tour. Touted as the largest comedy tour in history, Cook will travel within the US, Canada, Africa, Brazil, Australia, UK and Germany.
"Taking this new tour around the world is a desire I've wanted to fulfill for sometime now, based on the tremendous response I received
during the select few dates I have done internationally. To travel the globe and see beautiful places, while entertaining fans from every corner
of the earth is massive. I promise tons of special surprises while looking forward to performing around 100 shows over the next year, and in
the process i expect to rack up some serious frequent flyer miles," said Cook.
Pre-sale tickets will be accessible to fans via a special password on both DaneCook.com and Ticketmaster.com starting Monday, March 9th
at 10 am and will become available to the general public at 10 am Friday, March 13th.
Tickets are priced at $100, $75, $50, and $30, with special VIP packages available in each city.
After proving his star power in front of a combined live crowd of 70,000 people with two highly rated specials, Vicious Circle for HBO and
Rough Around the Edges for Comedy Central, Cook has reinvented himself with ISolated INcident, where he shares his stand-up insights
with a more intimate crowd. Now, he will once again entertain the masses in large venues on a worldwide scale.
Previously Cook created, directed and starred in HBO's nine-part comedy documentary series, Tourgasm and wrote, executive produced and
starred in Vicious Circle, a feature-length stand-up event. Additionally he has proved a strong force in the industry with his debut CD/DVD
release, Harmful If Swallowed which has been certified platinum, his latest CD, Rough Around The Edges, which recently has hit gold status,
and his sophomore release, Retaliation, which debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 and has reached double platinum standing.
Tour Dates
Presale Password is: SUFI
4/25 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
4/26 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
4/30 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center
5/1 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner
5/2 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
5/3 - Nassau, NY - Nassau Coliseum
5/7 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
5/8 - Toronto, Canada - Air Canada Center
5/9 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Spectrum
5/10 - Manchester, NH - Verizon
5/14 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans
5/15 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
5/16 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
5/17 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
5/21 - Salt Lake City, UT - E Center
5/22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl at The Palms
5/23 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl at The Palms
5/24 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl at The Palms
5/28 - Phoenix, AZ - Jobbing.com Arena
5/29 - San Diego, CA - Sports Arena
5/30 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
5/31 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
6/4 - Vancouver - GM Place
6/5 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena
6/6 - Portland, OR - Rosegarden
6/7 - Edmonton - Rexall Place
6/12 - Detroit, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills
6/13 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center
6/14 - Chicago, IL - United Center
6/18 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
6/19 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
6/20 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
6/21 - New Orleans, LA - Lake Front Arena
6/25 - Columbia, SC - Colonial Center
6/26 - Orlando, FL - Amway
6/27 - Atlanta, GA - Philips
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The All-American Rejects Release Tour Dates For Spring 2009
The winning streak continues for The All-American Rejects as the pop rock band launches a new spring tour of the United States. The 19-city
run launches with an April 4 appearance at the Tempe Music Festival in Tempe, AZ, and concludes May 6 at the County Coliseum in El Paso,
TX.
The coast-to-coast tour circuit includes an April 9 show at The Pageant in St. Louis, MO, an April 15 gig at Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, IL, and
an April 28 performance at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. The band will also stop north of the border for two shows: April 21 at Club Soda in
Montreal, QC, and April 22 at Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, ON.
The All-American Rejects are touring behind their third studio album When the World Comes Down, released in December 2008. The album,
a follow-up to 2005's Move Along, peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. The current single "Gives You Hell" is the band's best-charting song
so far, with a No. 4 peak position on the Hot 100 and a No. 2 slot on the Pop 100.
The spring outing is the most recent leg of tour dates supporting the band's new release. The quartet preceded the official World release date
with a late 2008 promotional tour, stretching from November through December.
Before beginning their spring run, the Rejects will take the stage later this week for a March 6-7 stand at Pipeline Café in Honolulu, HI.
All-American Rejects Tour Dates:
(Dates are subject to change.)
Apr 4 Tempe, AZ Tempe Music Fesitval
Apr 5 Albuquerque, NM Kiva Auditorium
Apr 7 Tulsa, OK Brady Theater
Apr 8 Kansas City, MO Beaumont Club
Apr 9 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
Apr 11 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom
Apr 13 Saint Paul, MN Myth
Apr 15 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom
Apr 16 Rochester, MI Meadow Brook Music Festival
Apr 17 Erie, PA Jenker Center
Apr 18 Geneseo, NY SUNY Geneseo
Apr 21 Montreal, QC Club Soda
Apr 22 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
Apr 25 Towson, MD Towson University
Apr 28 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr 29 Columbus, OH Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
May 1 Memphis, TN Beale Street Music Festival
May 2 Birmingham, AL Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil
May 6 El Paso, TX El Paso County Coliseum
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Sum 41 Release Tour Dates & Tracklisting for "All The Good Sh*t"
Sum 41 have announced the release of a new greatest hits album, as well as tour dates for 2009. Scroll down and see if they're playing in
your city!
As they begin work on their fifth full-length studio album (due for release later this year), RIAA platinum Island Records group Sum 41 takes
time out to assess their career so far on All The Good Sh*t: The Best Of Sum 41. The newly-compiled album, first issued November 2008 in
Japan (Sum 41's biggest international territory outside their native Canada and the U.S.), will arrive in the North American physical and digital
marketplace on March 17th. The collection also offers a bonus DVD featuring the band's eclectic videos over the course of their career.
This marks Sum 41's first collection, 14-songs and 13 videos that draw from their debut mini-album Half Hour Of Power (2000), and their four
full-length albums, All Killer No Filler (2001), Does This Look Infected? (2002), Chuck (2004), and Underclass Hero (2007). Also featured on
All The Good Sh*t is a live version of "Hell Song."
The final tracklisting for All The Good Sh*t is as follows:
1. Still Waiting
2. The Hell Song
3. Fat Lip
4. We're All to Blame
5. Walking Disaster
6. In Too Deep
7. Pieces
8. Underclass Hero
9. Motivation
10. Makes No Difference (newly recorded alternate version)
11. With Me
12. Handle This
13. Over My Head (Better Off Dead)
14. Pain for Pleasure
* Bonus Track: 15. The Hell Song (live version)
All The Good Sh*t is Sum 41's first new release since Underclass Hero, which debuted at #1 (and earned instant gold certification) in Canada
and Japan - where it ousted fellow Island band Bon Jovi's Lost Highway from the top in Japan after a one month run at #1. In an
unprecedented move to launch Underclass Hero, the band performed the album live in its entirety on their website, Sum41.com.
Underclass Hero was self-produced (for the first time) by the band's own Deryck Whibley, who wrote and produced tracks for (his wife) Avril
Lavigne's then-current album, The Best Damn Thing.
Underclass Hero was Sum 41's long awaited follow-up to Chuck (October 2004), #10 on the Billboard 200 with more than 1 million copies
sold worldwide. The album was named for the United Nations worker who daringly rescued Sum 41 from bombs and gunfire during the
filming of a documentary in the Congo with the nonprofit group War Child Canada.
Sum 41 Tour Dates
Sun Mar 29 The Glass House Pomona CA
Fri Apr 3 Tour of Japan various cities
Sat Apr 11 Polaris Park Stage Hagneta Guam
Thu Apr 30 Harper's Ferry Allston MA
Fri May 1 Hoodwink @ Meadowlands East Rutherford NJ
Sat May 2 Sonar Baltimore MD
Sun May 3 Bamboozle @ Meadowlands East Rutherford NJ
Tue May 5 The Note West Chester PA
Wed May 6 Chameleon Lancaster PA
Thu May 7 The Crazy Donkey Farmingdale NY
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Eminem’s New Album “Relapse” Drops In May, “Relapse 2” Later This Year
Eminem, the biggest selling music artist of the decade, officially announced the street date of his eagerly awaited new album;
his first original studio album in over four years. Relapse (Interscope/Aftermath/Shady) will be released on May 19, 2009. The
first single from the album and its accompanying video will see a simultaneous release on April 7th.
Anticipation for Relapse has been building since the fall, when Eminem first announced the album title and debuted the
freestyle, "I'm Having A Relapse," during an interview on his Shade 45 satellite radio station. Last month, the release of
"Crack A Bottle" from Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent brought that anticipation to a head. The track soared to #1 on the Billboard
Hot 100 (Eminem's second #1 after 2002's "Lose Yourself") and set a Nielsen SoundScan record for opening week
download sales (418,000). The recording ranked third in the history of all weekly download sales. "Crack A Bottle" will be
included as an album track on Relapse.
With the announcement of the release date for Relapse also comes confirmation of something that had been rumored in
recent weeks: Eminem is already working on a follow-up album, Relapse 2, that fans can expect in the second half of 2009.
"A lot of people were expecting Relapse to drop last year," said Eminem. "I was one of them. Then Dre and I went back in the
studio in September for a few days, and that turned into six months. We were on such a roll; we wound up with a ton of new
music produced by Dre. Putting out Relapse 2 will let everyone get all of the best stuff."
Eminem has sold more than 75,000,000 albums worldwide. His previous studio album, Encore, reached #1 and dominated
the charts in late 2004. Certified quadruple platinum and spinning off four Top 40 Hot 100 hits, the Grammy-nominated disc
has sold more than 11,000,000 copies around the globe. The #1, double platinum, 2005 greatest hits collection, Curtain Call:
The Hits and #2, platinum, 2006 various artists compilation, Eminem Presents: The Re-Up, followed. In October 2008,
Eminem released "Eminem: The Way I Am," a book compiling thoughts, stories, and memorabilia from various points in his
life. The book entered the New York Times Best-Seller list at #11.
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Elton John Lowers Ticket Prices For His 2009 Tour
The latest installment of the Elton John and Billie Joel joint tour, appropriately titled the Face to Face tour, occurred this past Monday night in
Jacksonville, Florida; where the two extremely successful rock n’ roll piano men opened to a packed house. Contrary to what one would think,
however, ticket prices did not reflect the fact that fans had in effect experienced two shows at once – from two of the music industry’s most
affluent performers.
Top ticket prices for the tour are comparable to prices one would see for a performance from just one artist or group, and peak at roughly
$175. In fact, in a November 2008 interview on “The View,” Elton John explained that the tour’s ticket prices “are the same as you’d see
anyone else, but there’s two of us.” He continued, “In this day and age, we hope to be getting people value for their money.” The two artists’
acknowledgment of the economic trouble that is afflicting so many of their fans’ seemed to almost be a theme – with Billie Joel thanking the
audience after his rendition of “Allentown.” Joel said, “Speaking of unemployment, we’re just happy you’re keeping us in business. We’re
happy to have a job.”
But no one should think that the concert fell short of supplying fans with exactly what they came for, classic rock n’ roll hits by two giants in the
genre. Fans enjoyed such unforgettable songs as The Bitch Is Back and Piano Man. On top of all of their own musical contributions, on
Monday night they also performed covers of Beatles classics like Birthday and Back in the U.S.S.R..
The format of this tour is not very different from the last tour that John and Joel had done together, back in 2003. The two artists performed
together to start the show off, then each on their own backed by their own bands for an hour a piece, finally they came together again for
encore performances. The entire concert lasted for three hours and fifteen minutes, and was an economically responsible experience that
everyone in attendance will remember for years to come.
Fans who want to attend one of the joint shows of the Face to Face tour can purchase tickets at Ticketmaster.
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311
In The Studio With Bob Rock!
Announce Their Upcoming Release
UPLIFTER
New York, NY- February 3, 2009 – Multi-platinum rock band 311 have been hard at work in their own North Hollywood studio, The Hive, with
legendary producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith) putting the final touches on their ninth studio album. The highly anticipated
record, Uplifter, is set for release via Volcano/Jive Records in late spring.
This is the band’s first album in over three years – and their first with producer Bob Rock. 311 will hit the road in support of Uplifter with Spring
& Summer tours across the US. 311's Spring Tour will begin April 15 and 311's Summer Unity Tour will follow in June.
311 formed in Omaha, Nebraska in 1990 and is vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/DJ SA Martinez, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer
Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. To date, 311 has sold over 8.3 million units in the U.S alone, with 5 albums in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top
200 Sales Chart and 7 singles soaring into the Top 10 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Chart (including the #1 singles Down, Love Song and Don’
t Tread On Me).
The band's celebratory live shows & incessant touring schedule have earned them a massive grassroots following nationwide. Since its
inception in 2004, 311’s annual summer headlining amphitheatre run, Unity Tour, has become one of the largest modern rock concerts of the
summer. Support acts on the past five Unity Tours have included Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R. and Matisyahu.
For more information on 311, their upcoming release and for the most up-to-date tour stops point your browser to www.311.com or www.
myspace.com/311
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