Sean Kingston's mother makes new plea in luxury fraud convictions

The rapper's mother Janice Turner is expected to serve at least five years in prison

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Sean Kingston’s mother requests shorter prison sentence
Sean Kingston’s mother requests shorter prison sentence

Rapper Sean Kingston's mother, Janice Turner, is seeking leniency ahead of her sentencing in luxury fraud convictions.

In a new court filing submitted on Friday, attorneys for the rapper's mother requested a reduced prison term of just 30 months, far less than the sentencing guideline range of 63 to 78 months.

Her legal team added that even the low end of that range would be an excessive punishment for a 62-year-old with “a myriad of health issues” and “minimal criminal history.”

“Ms. Turner will go to prison; she has earned the prison sentence,” her lawyers write, adding emphasis in their filing. “However, a sentence greater than thirty months is a waste of taxpayer resources based upon the history and characteristics of Ms. Turner.”

The filing also includes letters from her supporters, who have referred to her as “Mama Kingston,” praising her as a nurturing figure in the community who fed the hungry and offered her home as a place of refuge.

“Ms. Turner fed the hungry, clothed the less fortunate, and encouraged those who had lost their hope,” her lawyers wrote.

“Her generosity and love for others did not have a limit, and she exemplifies a life lived of service to the public.”

Turner and her son were convicted in March for defrauding luxury vendors of over $1 million in goods, including a Cadillac Escalade and a custom LED screen.

The jury took less than four hours to reach a verdict on one count of wire fraud conspiracy and four counts of wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for August 15.