Matias, the elder brother of Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has been sentenced for possessing an illegal firearm.

The 35-year-old received a two-and-a-half year prison sentence on Thursday, August 16, but instead of doing time in prison, he will undertake community service.

According to the report by Argentine newspaper La Capital, investigating prosecutors met before they reached an agreement of Matias not to go to prison any longer. The report added that the firearm was found late in 2017, inside a blood-stained boat which Matias crashed in the Parana River. Matias’ lawyer was also said to have argued that his client crashed the boat into a sandbank and denied that he owned the gun.

Lionel Messi brother sentenced to 30-months in jail for illegal gun possession

Matias who has has been linked with known criminals in the past, was held for 16 hours in a prison cell in 2015 after officers found an unlicensed 22-calibre gun in his car. He was also arrested In 2008 for allegedly having a loaded gun in his belt.