Young Buck Pleads Not Guilty To Felony Gun Charges

On Monday, former 50 Cent protégé Young Buck pleaded not guilty to federal felony gun possession charges in a Nashville court.

The rapper's home was raided in August 2010 by Internal Revenue Service agents for $300,000 in unpaid taxes. During the raid, officials alleged they discovered a .40-caliber pistol and ammunition belonging to Young Buck, according to local NBC affiliate WSMV. The indictment in the case had been sealed until Monday.

As a previously convicted felon (for stabbing a man at the Vibe Awards in 2004), he is not allowed to possess a gun and could face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. The onetime G-Unit star (real name: David Brown), appeared in court before a judge in handcuffs and pleaded not-guilty. He was released on a $100,000 bond.

Young Buck has endured financial difficulties since unceremoniously parting ways with 50 Cent and Interscope Records. He filed a lawsuit in the past, claiming the parties short-changed him out of earnings. 50, however, has long maintained that he not only was fair in paying Buck, but also helped the lyricist with additional funds to pay off debts.

At the time of the raid, Buck was emphatic that he had been cheated out of funds.

"I have a new team in place, but I am also paying full attention now," he said in a statement. "Nothing like this will ever happen again. This is a huge wake-up call for all entertainers to stay on top of your own trusted employees and team members, and replace anyone that was put in place by your record label if the situation you have goes sour. This IRS situation came about because I trusted accountants, lawyers and managers to handle my business for me while I focused on making music. From now on, I am going to stay on top of my own business."