Dancehall producer Countree Hype sentenced to nearly six years in U.S. prison for gun smuggling

Dancehall producer Countree Hype, whose legal name is Taugea Ubert Dayes, has been sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to his role in a gun smuggling operation into Jamaica.

The 33-year-old was sentenced on June 24 in a Miami, Florida court after appearing before Presiding Judge Roy Altman. He faced two counts: smuggling goods from the United States and delivering a firearm to a common carrier without written notification. He received 70 months on the smuggling charge and 60 months on the second count, with both sentences ordered to run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay a US$200 special assessment.

Following his prison term, Dayes will be subject to three years of supervised release, though authorities noted he is likely to face deportation proceedings back to Jamaica after completing his sentence. He also retains the right to appeal the ruling.

Prosecutors had pushed for a sentence of 70 to 75 months, arguing it was necessary given the scale and seriousness of the offence, while Dayes had sought a lighter 36-month term. The charges carried a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison.

Court records and U.S. prosecutors outlined a detailed smuggling operation in which Dayes allegedly concealed 30 firearms, 32 magazines, and more than 100 rounds of ammunition inside five office chairs. The weapons were wrapped in foil and foam, then sewn into seat cushions before being shipped via freight in March 2025 from the United States to Jamaica. The shipment was intercepted in Kingston eight days later.

Authorities say surveillance footage linked Dayes—who also used the alias “Jamie Roberts”—to the operation. Law enforcement sources further allege he operated beyond music production, describing him as a trained cook and nurse who was supplying illegal firearms to gangs in Jamaica.

Prosecutors said the case highlights the broader impact of illegal arms trafficking. “Illegal firearms trafficking fuels violence far beyond our borders,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant concealed dozens of firearms inside furniture and attempted to ship them overseas to evade detection and arm the black market in Jamaica.”

Dayes is widely known in the dancehall industry and has worked with artists including Intence, Alkaline, Konshens, and Kraff. He was arrested and charged after allegedly attempting to smuggle weapons into Kingston in 2025 under the false identity “Jamie Roberts.”