Young Thug Pled Guilty as part of a “Blind Confession” in the YSL Trial and was Sentenced

FULTON COUNTY, GA. – Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffrey Williams, took a plea deal in the YSL RICO trial and will soon be released from prison.

Williams was sworn in before the court shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday during a plea hearing.

The 33-year-old Grammy Award-winning artist was unable to reach an agreement with prosecutors after negotiations between the two sides broke down, Chief Prosecutor Adrian Love said. This leaves the sentence entirely at the discretion of the judge.

Williams was charged with conspiracy to violate RICO, 2 counts of participating in criminal street gang activity, 3 counts of violating the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a machine gun. He pleaded guilty to one gang charge, three drug charges and two weapons charges, but also entered a no contest plea to another gang charge and a racketeering conspiracy charge, meaning he decided not to disputed these charges and accepted punishment for them.

The prosecution is asking for 45 years in prison, of which 25 years. The defense is asking for 45 years, of which 5 years will be served in prison with a commuted sentence and house arrest for the rest, as well as 40 years of probation. Before deciding on the sentence, the judge heard from Love and defense attorney Brian Steele.

The judge ultimately sentenced him to 40 years in prison, the first five of which were to be served in prison but were then commuted to time served. He will then serve 15 years of probation, with the first half required to report to a probation officer. He also faces 20 years in prison after probation if probation is not completed successfully.

He must leave metro Atlanta 48 hours after his release and remain away for the first 10 years of probation, except for weddings, funerals, graduations or serious illness of family members, the judge said.

She also ordered him to return to the Atlanta area four times a year during his probation to give a live presentation about fighting gangs and gun violence at a school or community organization serving children. She said it could count toward the 100 hours of community service she ordered him to complete each year while on probation.

Love laid out to the judge the evidence she could present to prove Young Thug’s guilt, including some of his rap lyrics. She asked the judge to sentence him to 45 years, with 25 years in prison and the remaining 20 years suspended.

The rapper’s lead attorney, Brian Steele, said they “strongly disagree” with many of Love’s statements and said it was “offensive” that the state would use Young Thug’s lyrics against him.

Steele said the evidence against his client was weak and accused prosecutors of distorting and suppressing evidence, saying Young Thug was “falsely accused.” Steele said he told his client he believed they had won the trial and should get a jury verdict.

“But he told me: “I can’t wait another three months if there is any chance of returning home, because I have children who are sick. I have things to do,” Steele said.

Steele asked the judge to impose a sentence of 45 years in prison, with credit for time served, and 40 years of probation.

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The hugely successful rapper Young Thug has launched his own record label, Young Stoner Life or YSL. Prosecutors said he also co-founded a violent criminal street gang and that YSL stood for Young Slime Life.

Two years ago, he was indicted on a sweeping indictment accusing him and more than two dozen others of conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. He was also charged with gang, drug and firearms offences.

Young Thug’s statement comes nearly a year after the prosecution began presenting evidence in the troubled trial. Jury selection at the Atlanta courthouse began in January 2023 and took nearly 10 months. The trial of the six defendants began with opening statements last November, and prosecutors have since called dozens of witnesses.

An Inconsistent Plea Bargain Explained

A non-consensual plea bargain, often called a “blind plea” or “open plea,” is an agreement in which a defendant pleads guilty without a pre-arranged sentencing agreement with the prosecution. Instead of discussing a sentence, the defendant goes directly to the judge, who then has full authority to choose the final punishment.

This type of plea means the defendant waives his or her right to a trial without a predetermined, guaranteed verdict. The judge determines the sentence within legal parameters, taking into account factors such as the severity of the crime and the criminal history of the accused.

Defendants may choose to enter a non-consented guilty plea if they believe the judge can impose a lighter sentence than the prosecution is proposing. However, this approach carries significant risks because it relinquishes control over the outcome of the verdict.

“This case violates every rule in complex criminal trials,” said Joshua Schiffer, a legal expert and longtime lawyer.

Several plea agreements have already been struck this week as a possible mistrial loomed.

“None of the jurors can predict how they will take it. The only thing we know for sure is that they endured a trial unlike any other in Georgia history,” Schiffer said.

Jak Gotti rejected the deal: ‘Tell it to the jury’

Jak Gotti has rejected the latest plea agreement reached by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in the YSL case, his lawyer said.

Douglas Weinstein, representing Gotti, said his client “has every intention of taking the case to a jury, getting an acquittal and going home.”

The trial has been suspended since last week when A a witness accidentally read aloud a hashtag in which one of the accused appears, encourage lawyers to claim a mistrial. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker said that if successful, the mistrial would be without prejudice, allowing the state to reconsider the case.

After the incident, Fulton County prosecutors negotiated a plea deal with defense attorneys. Details about the potential deals were limited until Tuesday, when one of the defendants accepted a plea in exchange for most of the charges against him being dropped.

Previous plea deals in the YSL RICO trial

Events take place the next day two co-defendants in the case entered into plea deals on their charges.

Rodalius Ryan, also known as Lil Rod, and Marcavious Huey, known as Qua, reached their deals Wednesday afternoon in Fulton County Court.

Ryan, 18, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate state racketeering laws. His plea Wednesday meant his 10-year sentence on the RICO charge would be commuted to time already served, allowing him to focus on appealing the murder conviction he received at age 15.

One of Ryan’s lawyers, Leah Abbasi, said they “categorically and adamantly deny that YSL is the dangerous criminal street gang it is being purported to be.” She said her client is making the best decision for his future.

Hughie’s plea deal was reached shortly after Ryan’s. Initially charged with 19 charges, including violations of the RICO Act, multiple counts of armed robbery and participation in a criminal street gang, Huey had some of the charges dropped or reduced.

One of Huey’s attorneys, Carton Matthews Sr., said they “strongly and categorically deny” some of the charges read by prosecutors but acknowledged there was ample evidence to support the charges to which he pleaded guilty. He also noted that his client had already been in custody for about four years, which should be counted towards his nine years in custody.

The judge sentenced him to 25 years in prison, of which he will serve only nine years, and warned him not to violate the terms of his agreement.

“This is a great opportunity for you to change your life,” she told him, noting that he will likely be released from prison in just a few years.

On Tuesday, 29-year-old Quamarvious Nicholsaccepted a plea deal. All but one of the charges against Nichols were dropped in exchange for his guilty plea to the RICO charge.

YSL Member on Trial: Remaining Defendants in YSL RICO Case

After the plea deal, only two defendants remain on trial: Deamonte “Yak Gotti” Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell.

Deamonte Kendrick (Yak Gotti): Conspiracy to Violate RICO, Murder (2015 Murder of Donovan Thomas), Participation in Criminal Street Gang Activity, 3 Counts of Violating the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon with a prior felony conviction for the use or possession of a firearm.

Shannon Stillwell (Shannon Jackson or SB): Conspiracy to Violate RICO, 2 counts of Murder (2015 Murder of Donovan Thomas Jr. and 2022 Murder of Shimel Drinks), 2 Counts of Engaging in Criminal Street Gang Activity, 2 count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, previously convicted of a felony involving the use or possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Twelve more people are being tried separately. Prosecutors dropped charges against one defendant after he was convicted of murder in an unrelated case.

FOX 5 Atlanta has been following the trial for nearly a year after the jury selection process took nearly 10 months. This is now the longest trial in Georgia’s history.