Hillary Weston, long
time business adviser for Queen Bee/Atlantic recording artist Lil’ Kim pleaded
guilty to misdemeanor charges, stemming from a federal investigation involving
the infamous shooting outside New York City radio station Hot 97.
Her lawyer, Michael Bachner, stated yesterday that Weston agreed
to plead guilty to a misdemeanor count of passport fraud as part of a plea to
avoid more serious charges, which included an alleged destruction of records
that were sought by federal authorities.
“She admitted that she made a reservation for Damion Butler
to travel outside the country knowing that he had an illegal passport,”
Bachner stated to Newsday. “She understood what she did was wrong.”
The recent plea will narrow Lil Kim’s co-defendants to only
her personal assistant, Monique Dopwell who are both expected to begin the trial
on February 28.
Two other members of the rapper’s entourage, Suif Jackson
and Damion Butler were arrested and indicted on criminal charges in relation
to a broad daylight shootout.
Prosecutors claimed that Jackson and Butler were armed with
guns and were involved in a confrontation with “rival group” Capone-N-Noreaga,
igniting the shoot-out that left one man seriously wounded.
Jackson has since pleaded guilty to the shooting and was sentenced
to 12 years in prison. In fashion, Butler pleaded guilty in January and awaits
sentencing.
Jones and Dopwell
are charged with conspiring to commit perjury, obstruction of justice and making
false statements to derail a federal probe.
As of press time,
phone calls to Kim’s label, Atlantic Recording Corporation were unreturned
in relation to the matter.
