Dancehall Artiste Laden Sentenced To 4 Years For Illegal Possession of Firearm

Dancehall entertainer Laden has been sentenced to four years for illegal possession of a firearm.

The “Time To Shine” deejay, real name whose given name is Okeefe Aarons, was also sentenced to 18-months for illegal possession of ammunition. Both sentences will run concurrently which means the artiste will serve 4 years in total.

Laden was sentenced today (December 16) in the Black River parish court in St. Elizabeth before Justice Evon Brown.

The artiste has been in police lock-up since his arrest in October, pleaded guilty to charges of illegal possession of firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, and failing to stop on the request of the police in relation to an incident in October where he was spotted breaching the national curfew set to limit the spread of COVID-19.

According to the police report, about 10:40 pm on October 28, lawmen were in Cheapside, St Elizabeth, when they signalled the driver of a black Mercedes-Benz motor car to stop.

The driver initially complied, but sped off when the police approached. A chase ensued and during the chase an object was seen being thrown from the sunroof of the car.

When the police caught up with the vehicle the occupants were arrested and taken back to the site where the object was witnessed being thrown from the car. The area was searched, and a pistol recovered.

Laden is remorseful and issued an apology to his his family, friends, and fans earlier this month.

According to his lawyers, the recording artiste is now pensive, remorseful and embarrassed, “not for himself, but for the negative impact this situation has had on his family, his fans and those who previously held him in high esteem,” they Told The Jamaica Star.