Rapper Sean Kingston’s mother is begging a federal judge for a lenient prison sentence after the mom-son duo were convicted of running a fraudulent scheme to effectively steal high-end cars, jewelry and other luxury goods.
In a court filing Friday (July 18), attorneys for Janice Turner asked Judge David S. Leibowitz to sentence her to only 30 months — far less than the 63 to 78 months recommended by sentencing guidelines. They say 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.”
Later in the same filing, Turner’s lawyers cite letters from supporters that described her as “Mama Kingston,” a figure who served as a “pillar in her community” and had been a “motherly figure whose home was a refuge.”
“Ms. Turner fed the hungry, clothed the less fortunate, and encouraged those who had lost their hope,” her lawyers write. “Her generosity and love for others did not have a limit, and she exemplifies a life lived of service to the public.”
Kingston, best known for his chart-topping 2007 hit “Beautiful Girls,” was convicted in March along with his mother of defrauding luxury goods vendors of more than $1 million in merchandise, including a Cadillac Escalade and a massive LED television.
According to prosecutors, Kingston and Turner exploited his celebrity status to convince vendors to deliver goods without immediate payment, either by “promising to place his victims and their products in social media promos” or by “name-dropping high-profile celebrities as potential referral clients.” When payment was due, Kingston or Turner would text them fake wire transfer receipts, falsely suggesting that the money had been sent.
Following a trial in March, it took jurors less than four hours of deliberation to convict the pair of one count of wire fraud conspiracy and four counts of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for Aug. 15.
According to court records, a pre-sentencing report prepared by federal probation officers recommends that Turner face a sentence between 63 and 78 months. The actual report remains under seal, but prosecutors disclosed those basic details in court filings.
In Friday’s filings, Turner’s lawyers called that length of sentence “wholly unnecessary” to punish her for her crimes. They said that none of the stolen items were “for her personal gain,” and that she was almost certain to be deported to Jamaica on top of any eventual prison term: “She will be separated from her family and the friends she has.”
In addition to seeking a shorter sentence, Turner also asked the judge to recommend that she be sent to a Miami-area prison so that she can be visited by her friends and family: “The love and support
resulting from Ms. Turner’s family and friends being able to visit her while in custody will allow her a greater chance of positive matriculation through the prison system,” the filing reads.
Prosecutors have not yet filed their own sentencing request. But their most recent court filing — an objection to the probation report arguing that it omitted certain victims and undercounted losses — suggests they’ll oppose Turner’s bid for a lenient sentence. A spokesperson for the Miami U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment.
Probation officers have prepared a similar pre-sentencing report for Kingston, but it remains under seal, and details have not been disclosed in other filings.
