Now now, I'm Busy...

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A popular Jamaican DJ has been sentenced to six months in prison for fleeing the United States before his trial on drug charges.

Glendale Goshia Gordon pleaded guilty in July to one count of failure to appear in court.

He was sentenced Friday to the prison time and a $30,000 fine.

He was charged in 2002 with two counts related to cocaine trafficking, but he fled the U.S. before his trial and was a fugitive until his May arrest in Jamaica.

He was brought to the U.S. to face the failure to appear charge. The U.S. can't prosecute him on the cocaine charges at this time because of extradition rules.

Gordon performs under the name Busy Signal. He's best known for dancehall tracks "Step Out" and "These Are the Days."

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Free by thanksgiving!!!

Respect Same Way

I know they can't try him on the drug thing right now until his sentence is done, but what are the odds they could put him on an immigration hold immidiatley upon his release in order to try him on that charge?

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I know they can't try him on the drug thing right now until his sentence is done, but what are the odds they could put him on an immigration hold immidiatley upon his release in order to try him on that charge?

You can pretty much bank on the fact that BS has walked his final days of 'freedom' on US soil.....

Looks like he potentially caught a break on a technicality?

I read some months back that after his sentence, he would have 40 days to leave the us, after which he could be charged for the previous drug offense. If that is the case, I could see the feds getting him right as he's released from state custody and keeping him in an immigration hold until the 40 days is up...

That 40-day rule only applies when ICE doesn't put an 'immigration hold' on a convict. Typically, 'holds' are placed 10-12 days before an inmate is scheduled to be released and the inmate is transferred to an ICE detention center where he is held until his deporation hearing is conducted at which time he is either released or deported.

As for being charged for the prior drug offense, once the Statute of Limitations runs out, the defendant is forever free from that charge (though it CAN be used as a basis for denying someone a Visa in future years)........

Would the statutue of limitations apply though since he was already charged? As far as I know those charges are still pending, they just can't try him on them yet because they weren't part of the extradition request

as much as I disagree with his prior activities it seems like a huge waste of time and money to hold him after release with intent to bring up the old charges

just send him back to JA and dont ever let him back in the states

Respect Same Way

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tahoearmada
as much as I disagree with his prior activities it seems like a huge waste of time and money to hold him after release with intent to bring up the old charges

just send him back to JA and dont ever let him back in the states

That would be to cost effective and simple of a solution for our government to take that route....

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Ras James
Would the statutue of limitations apply though since he was already charged? As far as I know those charges are still pending, they just can't try him on them yet because they weren't part of the extradition request

Good question..Does statute of limitations start at date of " suspected crime" or from date of charges filed?

Free Up the Signal!

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Ninja
Free Up the Signal!

Why? I love his music, but am once again let down with the whole trafficking cocaine thing. I don't see Joseph Hill, Burning Spear, Cliff, etc. trafficking cocaine, so there can't be too many excuses. It's bad enough governments are involved with distributing this poison to people and making money off of addictions, reggae artists need to leave it alone. Doesn't seem to be uplifting anybody. So frustrating...

because he wasn't trafficking blood diamonds. Coke sucks and if he had just been caught dealing coke as a grown man then I would be less compassionate. This just seems like an attempt by the US Government to take down anyone who ever had anything to do with Dudus.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2012 11:54AM by J_72.

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Coke sucks and if he had just been caught dealing coke as a grown man then I would be less compassionate.

He was 23 years old when charges of "conspiracy to distribute cocaine" were brought against him, so are you saying 23 isn't a 'grown man', conspiracy to distribute isn't actually 'dealing coke' or something else.....?

So I am to believe that the US sent Federal Marshall's to JA to pick up a guy wanted for skipping bail a decade ago on a minor (comparative) drug charge...The 30,000 grand we are fining him isn't going to cover the cost of the plane flight to go get him and bring him back. Federal prosecution and housing for 6 months? For what????

Well, I suppose what constitutes a "minor drug charge" is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I don't consider 5 kilos of cocaine to be minor......

maybe i am way out of line here but just curious what others think about this. I have freinds who have visited JA recently and say they get offered more coke than ganga. Is this true? Is there more coke being pushed in JA than weed? If that is the case is that why we dont see as much roots out of JA and more dancehall?

the reason I said comparative is that compared to the human beings in this country and beyond moving real lbs this isn't JACK. it just seems strange to me. I don't doubt that there is more to the story. Either way, I am glad he will be out of prison as prison is no good for anyone who you actually plan on letting back into society. That place sucks from what I gather.

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rossta8888
maybe i am way out of line here but just curious what others think about this. I have freinds who have visited JA recently and say they get offered more coke than ganga. Is this true? Is there more coke being pushed in JA than weed? If that is the case is that why we dont see as much roots out of JA and more dancehall?

In general, I don't get offered any kind of drugs in jamaica. The only exceptions to this is tourist areas (negril, ochi, near the hotels in new kingston, etc...). In those places I still get offered ganja more than coke, but do get a fair amount of offers for both. That's kind of why I avoid all those parts. Has less to do with the tastes of locals though and more to do with stupid people assuming that anyone foreign-looking is simply here for drugs or prostitutes.

Ya Ras James you pretty much nailed it, the do go to New Kingston and stay in the tourist area's. They were looking for ganga and said they found some but were offered coke 5 to 1. Maybe their is just more money in pushing coke to tourists.

Rossta....go check The J.O.E. Movement "Jah Ova Evil"... I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

Ras James thoughts on Chronixx and Kabaka?????

Thanks Ninja! I will check it out!

Heard some good stuff out of J.O.E. Uprising Roots is a favorite of mine as well, and matthew mcanuff was really doing some nice stuff before his tragic passing last month.

As for Kabaka and chronixx, I haven't really heard enough from either to form an opinion yet. I tend to hear more about chronixx from friends here and more about kabaka from friends abroad. Is there anything in particular from either of them you'd reccomend?

News is a little late but Busy beat the case and was freed a week and a half ago.

Hmm... note that it was BIG news when BS was busted, but *crickets* when he beats the rap. Justice is served.

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Busy beat the case and was freed a week and a half ago.

Here, let me correct this for you....:

Busy was convicted, served the time he was sentenced to and has since been released..... Justice is served.

no really it wasn't because we paid for it to happen. think how much money and human recsources that it took to put this guy in prison for 6 months....foolishness.

what will this do to his ability to leave the island?

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what will this do to his ability to leave the island?

Leave the Island, no problem. Enter into the US or obtain a Visa to perform here, BIG problem....

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Ninja
what will this do to his ability to leave the island?

US UK CANADA a no go.

Japan, France or Germany?????

I would say we are both correct Daniel. Consider that Busy waived extradition so he could plead guilty to "failure to appear", was released for time served but still has 2 counts related to cocaine trafficking (15 yrs Minimum) and the U.S. has no jurisdiction.
We do have a treaty of extradition with Jamaica but it contains this type of language "Article 2 sets forth the circumstances under which a party may deny assistance under the treaty" such as "there are no reasonable grounds to believe the offense has been or is likely to be committed"
The judge in the case (Donovan Frank) stated "once Gordon serves his sentence, he’ll be given 45 days to return to Jamaica. If he remains in the U.S. after that, he could be arrested on the drug charges."
In my experience this means their original case is weak so they pursued the charge that was undeniable, "failure to appear" Why else would you focus on the lesser charge? This is not about Justice IMO it's about saving face.
As far as travel goes....America doesn't forgive or forget. We stigmatize our convicts and have abandoned any notions of redemption or "paying your debt to society". I agree with PJ's list (America & her closest allies) but as an example Jah Cure doesn't seem to have any problems going to France, Germany, Italy or Holland.