Rapper T.I. is back in the federal lockup and not a halfway house because he violated conditions of his furlough release, according to a report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The report, obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday, says the rapper, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., had “unauthorized contact with the public” on Aug. 31 during a 375-mile trip from a federal prison in Arkansas to the Atlanta halfway house.
T.I., who has a VH1 reality show coming out in December, also conducted business during the trip, the report says, breaking another condition of his furlough.
His lawyer, Atlanta attorney Steve Sadow, called the return to prison “outrageous” and contends the rapper did not conduct business and was not accompanied by unauthorized individuals during the trip to Atlanta.
“They’ve taken what should be a simple misunderstanding and are attempting to punish him for his celebrity status,” Sadow told the AJC on Thursday.
A hearing will be held to determine if a violation occurred, Sadow said, and a prisons investigator would recommend what punishment, if any, should be imposed.
The Grammy-award winning rapper has been in federal custody since an arrest in September 2010 in Los Angeles on drug charges. He was sentenced to 11 months for violating probation of an earlier conviction on federal firearms charges.
T.I., 30, was expected to spend the final month of his latest federal sentence at Dismas Charities Atlanta halfway house. But that all changed after he arrived at the facility west of Downtown Atlanta.
He made the trip from the Federal Correctional Center in Forrest City, Ark., to Atlanta in a motor coach, which was used because of security and privacy concerns, said the rapper’s wife, Tameka “Tiny” Cottle, who was on the trip.
Sadow said prison officials apparently are trying to punish T.I. because they believe he should have only been accompanied by his wife. Also on the trip were executives from the entertainment industry.
A Federal Bureau of Prisons incident report states T.I. violated conditions of his furlough, specifically “unauthorized contact with the public” and “conducting business” during the trip.
The report says that on the same day T.I. arrived at Dismas Charities, he was ordered to the office of Assistant Director Reginald Brown for a conference call. The call was requested by Ronald James, a local community corrections management official, and also included counselor Patricia Simpson.
James began asking T.I. questions about his “mode of transportation and individuals present on the bus with him,” the report says.
T.I. said those on the bus included “his wife, manager and two producers with VH1,” the report says.
The rapper was told that “such people were not authorized to travel with him in the conditions of the furlough.”
The incident report said T.I. indicated that he was “discussing a new reality series and a book with these individuals, but made a point of indicating it was not an interview.”
The report continued, “Inmate Harris had not been authorized to be in contact or be in the presence of his manager or others, except his wife, during his travel."
“Additionally, his actions of discussing a new reality series and book with VH1 producers was considered to be conducting business as he was conducting potential business ventures between him and VH1,” the report said.
Efforts to reach James and Reginal Brown of Dismas Charities were unsuccessful Thursday.
T.I.’s parole application, which he signed on June 23 and Arkansas federal prison Warden T.C. Outlaw signed on July 19, contains an “Understanding” of Federal Bureau of Prisons furlough conditions the rapper agreed to follow while on furlough.
Among the conditions, T.I. has to remain at Dismas Charities; if he leaves without permission he will be deemed an escapee; he can be searched and can’t have any contraband or illegal drugs or intoxicants; he cannot have any firearms; and he cannot drive without permission.
The furlough conditions also state T.I. cannot “associate with persons having a criminal record or with those who [the inmate knows] are engaged in illegal occupations.”
The conditions, however, do not state T.I.cannot be in contact with or in the presence of his manager or others during his travel. The warden in Arkansas had the authority to add other conditions but none were mentioned in the agreement Harris signed on June 23.
The furlough conditions also state T.I.cannot “sign any legal papers, contracts, loan applications or conduct any business without the written permission of staff.”
The incident report said T.I. was conducting business when he met with VH1 representatives. The rapper's untitled show is set to air Dec. 5 at 10 p.m. for 10 half-hour episodes.
Jonathan Leonard, T.I.’s entertainment and business affairs attorney, however, said the rapper and others on the motor coach were not conducting any deals because deals had already been made.
Leonard, in a statement, said an agreement with New Pop Culture Production to do a “follow documentary” surrounding T.I.’s life was negotiated and signed in late July. He also said a publishing deal was finalized with Harper Collins Publishing in June.
“No such business was conducted during that trip as the incident reports,” Leonard said.
In addition to T.I. and his wife, two entertainment executives were on the motor coach, Brian Sher, president and CEO of Los-Angeles-based Category 5 Entertainment and Cris Abrego, co-president of 51 Minds Entertainment.
In statements, both said they had been authorized to visit T.I. in the past and both said no business was conducted during the trip to Atlanta.
Sadow, the rapper's lawyer, wondered whether the motor coach's driver also needed to be authorized to drive T.I. back to Atlanta.
"I guess when the [Bureau of Prisons] guard escorted T.I. onto the bus in the parking lot of the prison, the powers-that-be expected Tameka Cottle Harris to drive the bus from Arkansas to Atlanta," the lawyer said.
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