Young Thug To Be Released, Sentenced to Time Served
Share
Judge Paige Reese Whitaker handed down Young Thug’s sentence on Thursday after the rapper pleaded guilty to several charges in his RICO case. The rapper will only be required to serve 15 years of probation. He will be released from custody after being sentenced to time served on several counts
On Thursday, rapper Jeffery Williams, better known as Young Thug surprised most of the Hip-Hop community by entering a guilty plea to multiple charges, including drug and firearm possession, while pleading no contest to central racketeering allegations that accused him of leading a violent gang.
This plea deal comes after his trial was disrupted by faulty testimony from a state witness, which raised the possibility of a mistrial. Following the debacle, several defendants and prosecutors hastily struck plea agreements to avoid restarting the prolonged legal process, which has already spanned nearly two years of jury selection and testimony—marking it as the state’s longest-ever trial.
Prosecutors had initially recommended a harsh sentence of 45 years, with a potential 25-year prison term and 20 years on probation.
Williams was arrested in May 2022 alongside several affiliates. Prosecutors alleged that his YSL brand, commonly recognized as his record label, actually operated as “Young Slime Life,” a criminal street gang causing significant harm across Atlanta for nearly a decade.
The case has been watched by both the music industry and Atlanta’s legal community for some time, prompting debates on issues like the use of rap lyrics as prosecutorial evidence and the criminal justice system’s treatment of celebrity defendants.
Although offered a plea deal with probation, Williams opted to submit an open-ended guilty plea, leaving his sentencing entirely to the judge.
Built on Georgia’s RICO law, the state’s case claimed that YSL engaged in violent and illicit activities, with Williams allegedly at the helm as “King Slime.” Williams denied the accusations throughout, with his attorney arguing he had no knowledge of most co-defendants in the indictment and no motive to lead a criminal enterprise.
Learn more in the report below:
RELATED
