Young Thug Released After No-Contest Plea in Racketeering Case

• Nov 01, 2024

Young Thug, the 33-year-old Grammy-winning rapper, was released from prison on Thursday evening after pleading no contest to multiple charges tied to gang, drug, and weapon offenses. The artist, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, had been in jail since his arrest in May 2022 on accusations of leading the alleged street gang Young Slime Life (YSL).

YSL members had been accused of engaging in violent and illegal activities, including murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and carjacking. As prosecutors built their case, they sought a severe punishment, recommending a 45-year sentence for the rapper, which included 25 years behind bars and 20 years of probation.

When his trial resumed in Georgia on Thursday, Young Thug made a pivotal decision to enter a no-contest plea to racketeering conspiracy and a separate gang-related charge. In court, he expressed remorse, saying, “I take full responsibility for my crimes, for my charges. To really everybody that has got something to do with this situation, I want to say sorry.” He described himself as someone with good intentions who found himself involved in serious trouble, adding, “I understand that you can’t be that way when you reach a certain height because it could end bad… and it could fall on you.”

Judge Paige Whitaker, presiding over the case, handed down a 40-year sentence. However, she commuted his prison time to the period he had already served. Young Thug will now be on probation for 15 years. During this period, he faces strict conditions, including random drug testing and a ban on promoting gangs or associating with known gang members. There are exceptions for his brother, Quintavis Grier, who is also the rapper Unfoonk, and fellow rapper Sergio Kitchens, known as Gunna.

The terms of Young Thug’s probation also require him to avoid metro Atlanta for the first decade of his probation, barring approved visits. Additionally, he must give four anti-gang presentations annually to children and perform 100 hours of community service each year. If he fails to comply with these conditions, he could face up to 20 years of incarceration.

Young Thug's high-profile racketeering case, which has drawn considerable public attention, is considered one of Georgia’s longest-running criminal trials. According to Fulton County jail records, he was released on Thursday night.