Sean Kingston’s mom, Janice Turner, was reportedly hit with a five-year prison sentence on Wednesday, July 23, for her role in a $1 million fraud scheme. Before the gavel dropped, however, Turner had begged for mercy, claiming she was just trying to protect her son. Here’s what happened…
RELATED: Whew! Sean Kingston & His Mother Face 20 Years Behind Bars After Indictment In $1M Fraud Case
Janice Turner Was Sentenced To How Many Years?
Janice is reportedly facing some serious time behind bars. On July 23, a federal judge sentenced the 63-year-old to five years in prison and three years of supervised release, per CBS News. She allegedly conspired to commit wire fraud and committed four counts of wire fraud. The court didn’t hold back either, pointing to Turner’s past criminal history, including serving nearly 18 months for bank fraud back in 2006, as a reason for the stiff penalty.
During the sentencing, Turner got emotional, telling the judge, “I’m sorry. My intention was to keep my son afloat in this difficult industry. They used him and abused him. I am begging for mercy for me and my son.” Her attorney noted that most of the defrauded businesses, like jewelers and car dealerships, have been paid back. The judge seemingly remained unconvinced. To note, Turner and her son were accused of initiating fake wire transfers to fraudulently acquire luxury goods. This reportedly included a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, expensive watches, and a colossal 232-inch TV.
When Is Sean Kingston’s Sentencing?
The 35-year-old rapper is still waiting for his day in court, with his sentencing scheduled for August 28, per VIBE. He, like his mother, allegedly conspired to commit wire fraud. And committed four counts of wire fraud, each carrying a maximum 20-year sentence. Right now, Kingston’s under house arrest with electronic monitoring, after posting a $200,000 cash bond and a relative’s home valued at $500,000.
During the trial, his lawyer reportedly tried to paint him as a “soft guy who grew up poor.” Additionally, the lawyer alleged Kingston didn’t know how to handle his finances, per ABC7 Los Angeles. But the jury apparently wasn’t buying it.
When Were They First Arrested and What Happened?
The whole situation goes back to May 2024, when SWAT raided Kingston’s rented mansion in Southwest Ranches, Florida, and arrested Janice Turner on the spot. Hours later, Kingston performed at an Army base in Fort Irwin, California, when authorities arrested him. The feds accused the mother-son duo of running a scheme from October 2023 to March 2024, defrauding businesses out of over $1 million in luxury goods.
They allegedly used fake wire transfer receipts to trick vendors into handing over high-end items like jewelry, a Cadillac Escalade, and even furniture, without ever paying up. The scheme unraveled after a lawsuit from Ver Ver Entertainment, which claimed Kingston scammed them out of a $111,000 sound system, per BBC News. Turner admitted to sending fake wires to “protect” her son, claiming she was shielding him from scammers, but the jury saw it as straight-up fraud.
