Young Thug was released from prison after a plea deal, convicted in the YSL RICO trial

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Superstar rapper Young Thug was released from prison Thursday night, hours after receiving a 40-year sentence in his internationally-watched YSL criminal trial, with five years in prison. which has been switched. by the time he had already served time behind bars, which led to his release.

Upon his release, Jeffery Williams (Young Thug’s real name) will serve 15 years of probation. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker said if Williams is successful on probation, then the remainder of his sentence will be commuted to time served. Williams is also prohibited from having contact with any of YSL’s other co-defendants or witnesses in the trial, except for his biological brother, Quantavious Grier (aka Unfoonk) and Sergio Giavanni Kitchens (aka Gunna). Williams is also barred from metro Atlanta for the first ten years of his probation.

“You have to stay away from the Atlanta metro area,” Whitaker said.

Williams may return to Atlanta for major family events such as weddings, funerals, graduations or medical emergencies and for community service.

“I’m going to ask that you come to the Atlanta metro area and do a live, anti-gang, anti-gun violence presentation four times a year,” Whitaker said.

Jeffrey Williams Sr., Young Thug’s father, said he was against that part of the judge’s ruling because that’s where he’s from.

Judge Paige Reese Whitaker handed down the sentence Thursday afternoon.

Accompanied by attorneys Brian Steele and Keith Adams, Williams agreed to a no-deal plea, which can result when a defendant and prosecutors cannot agree on a sentence. Defense attorneys give the judge complete authority over sentencing. The judge could follow the recommendations of the state or defense attorneys or impose a completely different sentence.

“It’s not what I wanted, I don’t think it’s fair, but I think it’s just under the circumstances and he’s excited, as are we,” said attorney Brian Steel. “For Jeffrey to go home today and not have another 100 days, 90 days, he’s very happy.”

Here are the allegations against one of American music’s most decorated performers and how he pleaded:

Violation of the Georgia RICO Act – nolo contendere (no contest);
Organizer of a criminal street gang activity (driving charge) – nolo contendere (no contest);
Participating in a criminal street gang activity – guilty;
Possession of a machine gun – guilty;
Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony – guilty;
Three Georgia controlled substance violations – guilty.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Williams was sworn in and listened as Fulton County Chief Deputy District Attorney Adriane Love read the charges against him. Love then asked Whitaker to impose a 45-year sentence, with 25 years in custody and 20 years on probation.

Williams’ attorneys asked for a 45-year sentence on the charges, with 40 years of probation and credit for time served. They also asked that Williams be placed on house arrest for three years and agreed to wear an ankle monitor for one year. He also pledged $100,000 to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to host a gun buyback event; to refrain from being in the vicinity of the Cleveland Avenue area; and perform 100 hours of community service over the next three years.

He spoke after accepting a plea deal.

“I take full responsibility for my crimes,” Williams said. “I’m a smart guy; I’m a good guy. I hope you’ll let me go home and trust me to do the right thing.

“I learned from my mistakes.”

Williams’ plea deal is the latest development in the longest criminal trial in Georgia history. Earlier this week, Whitaker commented, for the first time publicly since taking over the process less than six months ago, that he believed there is evidence of a conspiracy similar to organized crime.

In accepting a plea deal from one of Young ThugHis co-defendants, Quamarvious Nichols, Whitaker said, “We found that we’ve heard the evidence up to the point of trial right now that there is evidence of at least one overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy and that there is evidence that would fall within the required statute of limitations to establish this RICO conspiracy.”

Williams and three of the remaining co-defendants have since reached plea deals, leaving only Shannon Stillwell (SB) and Deamonte Kendrick (a.k.a. Yak Gotti) remaining in court. The court will resume on Monday at 8:30

On Thursday, Douglas Weinstein, Kendrick’s attorney, said his client rejected a plea deal. Weinstein said his client “fully intends to take this to a jury and get our not guilty verdicts and go home.”

Wednesday, Rodalius Ryan (aka “Lil Rod”), pleaded guilty to one count of violating Georgia’s RICO Act. Ryan, who was previously convicted of the 2019 murder of Jamari Holmes, is already serving a life sentence and was sentenced to an additional 10 years after the execution.

Also Wednesday, Marquavius Huey (a.k.a. “Qua”) pleaded guilty to one count of RICO violations and accepted reduced sentences on the robbery charge (reduced from armed robbery); and firearms possession charges.

On Tuesday, Quamarvious Nichols (aka “Qua”) accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to attempt to violate the RICO Act. Instead, Fulton County prosecutors dropped the remaining charges of murder, participation in a criminal street gang, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony. Nichols was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with seven to be served on probation.

The plea deals came after Whitaker halted the trial last week after defense attorneys objected to the testimony of Wunnie Lee (a.k.a. Slimelife Shawty), who had earlier reached a plea deal in exchange for his testimony. A social media post containing the hashtag was shown in court #freequaa reference to a previous prison sentence for one of YSL’s co-defendants now on trial along with Jeffery Williams, real name of Young Thug.

Opening statements were held in Young Thug’s trial on November 27, 2023. The trial jury selection took longer than any other in the history of Georgia, and the actual testimony of the witnesses itself will probably exceed the records of the state. Both records were set by the Atlanta Public Schools teacher scandal and lawsuit in 2014-2015.

Young Thug scored his 33rd birthday on August 16, 2024after he was arrested on May 9, 2022, along with 27 other suspected gang members in Buckhead, as part of a 56-count indictment.

The trial itself began on November 27, 2023. Defense lawyers repeatedly raised concerns about of the process length, and Fulton County prosecutors still have more than 100 witnesses to call.

Prosecutors are trying to show that YSL is a criminal street gang responsible for numerous crimes. Defense lawyers say YSL is not a gang, but simply the name of a record label.

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