Janice Turner, a 62-year-old mother of singer Sean Kingston, is asking a federal judge for a lighter sentence as she awaits sentencing in a wire fraud case. She faces the possibility of decades in prison and could be deported from the United States.
As per AllHipHop, in a motion submitted before her sentencing on August 28, Turner requested a reduced sentence of no more than 30 months.
She cited her declining health, lack of financial gain, and clean record as reasons. Turner was found guilty in March 2025 of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Each charge carries a potential 20-year sentence in federal prison.
According to prosecutors, Turner was a key figure in a scheme that used fake wire transfers and her son's celebrity status to steal over $1 million in goods, including luxury cars, jewelry, and electronics.
The judge at her trial described Turner as the "fixer" and "nerve center" of the fraudulent operation.
Her attorneys argued that a sentence of thirty (30) months or less will serve the purposes of sentencing by satisfying the need for deterrence, stating that Turner did not personally profit from the scheme.
In court, Turner admitted to creating fake wire confirmations and using false information to convince businesses to release high-end merchandise. Sean Kingston did not testify during the trial.
Besides the prison term, Turner also faces serious immigration issues. After serving her time, she is expected to be deported to Jamaica, a place she has not lived in for years. Her legal team referred to this as a "permanent separation from her family," adding emotional weight to her plea for a lighter sentence.
Turner's lawyers asked that she be placed in a federal facility near Miami due to her age and the emotional strain of limited family contact. The closest federal women's prison is in Tallahassee, nearly 500 miles away.
Many letters submitted to the court described Turner as a caring mother and a person focused on her community. Her defense highlighted her declining health, her minor role in the conspiracy's benefits, and the wider impact a long sentence would have on her family.
Turner will go back to court for sentencing on July 23, 2025. The judge is expected to decide on her plea for a more compassionate sentence.
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