Young Thug released from prison after taking plea deal in RICO case
Young Thug has been released from prison more than 2 years after his arrest, after pleading "no contest" and "guilty" to several charges against him
Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images
For the last two years—ever since being arrested on gang-related charges in May of 2022, in a RICO case targeting his YSL Records label—rapper Young Thug (real name Jeffrey Lamar Williams) has been in prison. Today, the So Much Fun rapper has finally been released, after taking a plea deal in which he pled no contest on RICO and gang leader counts, and guilty to several drug and gun charges. Williams was sentenced to time served, as well as 15 years probation, and released from custody for the first time since his arrest.
Williams’ decision to take the plea came after several other people who were arrested on the same charges back in 2022 took pleas of their own earlier this week. (Prompted in part by a recent evidence mishap that could have pushed the whole thing toward a second mistrial.) The case has been much complicated in the intervening years by the government’s assertion that YSL Records is essentially a “criminal street gang” (that just happens to also release chart-topping rap albums), as well as a willingness to try to use rap lyrics as evidence of criminal activity. In his own statement to the court today, Williams didn’t necessarily deny that he was adjacent to criminal activities, but did state to the judge that, “I take full responsibility for my crimes, for my charges. I want to say sorry to my family, my mom. I am a smart guy, I am a good guy, and I really got a good heart. I found myself in a lot of stuff because I was just nice and cool, and I understand you can’t be that way when you reach a certain height because it could end bad.”
Young Thug’s arrest came just as he was really cracking into a new level of stardom. It’ll be fascinating to see how he reacclimates to musical life—especially with a 15-year parole that could see him serving out the full term of a 20-year commuted sentence if he’s seen to violate it hanging over his head. Among other things, his sentence precludes him associating with any of the other dozens of YSL defendants on the case, with the exception of his brother, as well as long-time collaborator Gunna.