Grammy-Winning Producer Dallas Austin Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Charges
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Grammy-winning producer Dallas Austin, who has crafted songs for TLC, Madonna and Michael Jackson, pleaded guilty Sunday to cocaine charges in the United Arab Emirates, a newspaper reported.
Austin faces up to four years in prison when he is sentenced Tuesday, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"I'm pleading guilty but by mistake," Austin was quoted as saying during a short hearing in Dubai. "I had no knowledge and no intention of violating the laws of the U.A.E."
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The songwriter, whose life story was loosely depicted in the 2002 movie "Drumline," was arrested May 19 at Dubai's airport.
He was on his way to a three-day birthday party for supermodel Naomi Campbell at a Dubai hotel, the newspaper reported. He was charged with cocaine possession and has been held without bail at a police station, it said.
The newspaper said four attorneys accompanied Austin to the hearing: Mohammad al-Reda of the United Arab Emirates, Qays Hatem al-Zu'bi of Bahrain, Joel A. Katz of Atlanta and another American lawyer who declined to give his name.
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Austin, who is based in Atlanta, has several hits to his credit, including Pink's "Just Like a Pill" and TLC's "Unpretty." He won a Grammy Award for best R&B album in 1999 for producing TLC's multiplatinum "Fanmail." He also produced "Drumline" and "ATL."