Rapper Juelz Santana pleads not guilty to weapons charges

FILE: Juelz Santan (Photo By Timothy M. Moore, CC BY-SA 3.0)

NEWARK, N.J. — Rapper Juelz Santana has pleaded not guilty to drug and gun charges stemming from an incident at Newark Liberty International Airport last week.

Santana entered his plea in Newark on Wednesday to two state weapons charges and a drug possession charge. His next court hearing is scheduled for April 9.

Authorities say security personnel found a loaded .38-calibre handgun and oxycodone pills he didn’t have a prescription for in a carry-on bag containing his identification last Friday.

They say he had fled the area, leaving two bags behind. He turned himself in on Monday.

Santana also faces federal charges stemming from the same incident and is being jailed while the case proceeds.

The 36-year-old New York City-born rapper lives in Totowa, New Jersey. His real name is LaRon James.