Rapper Young Thug Pleads Guilty In YSL Gang Case, Sentence Given

Updated at 6:25 p.m.

ATLANTA, GA — Grammy Award-winning rapper Jeffery "Young Thug" Williams, 33, was set free on Thursday after he entered a non-negotiated plea of guilty in a monumental gang and racketeering case in Fulton County.

Judge Paige Whitaker sentenced Williams to 40 years, with a five-year prison sentence commuted to time served. Fifteen years must be served on probation with special conditions. Williams must actively report to a probation officer for the first 7.5 years of his probation and perform 100 hours of community service each year.

The 20 years remaining of his sentence can be served in prison if Williams violates the judge's orders, or it can be commuted to time served if he completes his probation. He is also banned from metro Atlanta for the first 10 years of his probation, excluding events such as weddings and graduations.

He must also visit metro Atlanta four times a year to make anti-gang presentations.

In speaking to the court, he apologized to his family and others who have supported him during this long journey.

Fulton County prosecutors accused Williams of being the leader of an alleged street gang, Young Slime Life. Defense attorneys argued that YSL is not a gang but rather Williams' rap label, which stands for Young Stoner Life.

The YSL trial was Georgia's longest-running trial in history, per media reports.

Williams was charged on suspicion of conspiracy to violate the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, participation in criminal street gang activity-the leadership charge, participation in criminal street gang activity, violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a machine gun.

In all, Fulton County Chief Deputy District Attorney Adriane Love said Williams faced 120 years for the charges. The state also pushed to have any of his seized properties forfeited.

Williams has been incarcerated since May 2022, jail records showed. Brian Steel, his attorney, said he pleaded nolo contendre to criminal street gang activity-the leadership position and conspiracy to violate the RICO Act.

Nolo contendre is a no-contest plea, which Whitaker permitted. Williams pleaded guilty to all other charges.

The state's current plea offer was 45 years, with 25 years to be served in prison, and 20 years on probation with special requirements. The previous plea offer was 43 years, which Love said Williams declined.

Meanwhile, Deamonte "Yak Gotti" Kendrick, one of the remaining defendants, has declined plea deals from the state.

His attorney, Doug Weinstein, confirmed the news Thursday afternoon in a tweet.

"We will continue to take it to trial and walk out of this courtroom when the jury returns not guilty verdicts for Mr. Kendrick," Weinstein tweeted.

This was alongside a tweet from X user ThuggerDaily, which stated Kendrick refused the state's plea offers.

Fulton County Jail records showed Kendrick faces a plethora of charges, including conspiracy to violate the RICO Act, three counts of violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a machine gun, participation in criminal street gang activity, aggravated assault, four counts of unauthorized possession of prohibited item by inmate and possession of prohibited items by inmate or providing prohibited items to inmate.

A murder charge against Kendrick was dropped, jail records showed.

In a TikTok video shared Thursday, Weinstein said the jury is not expected to return to the courtroom until Monday.

Co-defendants Rodalius "Lil' Rod' Ryan, 20, and Marquavius "Qua" Huey, 28, pleaded guilty to various charges Wednesday. Quamarvious "Qua" Nichols, 29, pleaded guilty on Tuesday.

Charges and sentencing for them were as follows:

Ryan: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and was sentenced to 10 years commuted to time served and to be run concurrently with the life sentence he is currently serving.

Huey: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act, three counts of robbery, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a weapon by an incarcerated individual. He was sentenced to 25 years with nine years to be served in prison. Nine years were suspended, and the balance will be served on probation.

Nichols: Pleaded guilty to violation of the RICO Act and was sentenced to 20 years, with seven years to be served in custody and the remainder on probation.

Talks of came after the testimony of state witness and rapper Wunnie "Slimelife Shawty" Lee nearly forced a mistrial without prejudice last week.

Whitaker said he was given an unredacted version of a social media post that included the phrase "#freequa" — which he read in front of the jury.

Defense attorneys said the post included language that hinted a defendant named "Qua" was previously incarcerated. This was wording attorney Nicole Westmoreland said prosecutors agreed would be redacted.

Attorney Careton R. Matthews Sr., who represented Huey, joined in the motion for a mistrial.

Whitaker said she believed what happened on the stand was a mistake but asked Westmoreland if she would like to request a mistrial without prejudice, to which Westmoreland responded, "Yes."

The high-profile YSL trial is edging close to a year as opening statements began in November 2023.

Twenty-eight defendants were arrested in the case, but several have taken plea deals. Charges vary among the group, from racketeering to murder.

Few of the co-defendants have testified in the lengthy and controversial trial, which has taken several twists and turns.

In December 2023, Stillwell was stabbed in the Rice Street Jail, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said at the time.

Authorities said a fight broke out between Stillwell and another inmate who was housed in the same zone. Stillwell was stabbed multiple times during the fight, authorities said.

One of the latest curveballs happened on Oct. 18 when Whitaker ruled witness and past co-defendant Antonio "Mounk Tounk" Sledge violated a plea deal through his testimony on the stand.

Whitaker revoked five years of Sledge's probation, which spanned more than 27 years remaining, and reinstated the balance. Sledge was immediately taken into custody. His original probation term was 30 years, but it was said during court he received some credit for time served.

On Oct. 22, the Georgia Supreme Court reversed a contempt order established by the trial's predecessor judge, Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville.

Steel and attorney Keith Adams represent Williams.

After Steel revealed during a June court session that Glanville met with witness Kenneth "Lil' Woody" Copeland and prosecutors, unbeknownst to the defense, he vehemently declined to tell Glanville how he had learned of the meeting.

Witnesses later testified to the details of the meeting.

Prior to the meeting, Copeland evoked his Fifth Amendment rights and chose not to testify — a decision he later took back when he spent days testifying on the stand. Copeland is under an immunity order from the state.

Glanville ordered Steel to spend 20 days incarcerated on the weekends and ruled Steel was not entitled to a supersedeas bond — also known as an appeal bond sometimes used in civil cases, the Supreme Court said.

Steel appealed the contempt order, arguing the information received was protected by attorney-client privilege and that he did not interfere with the "court's administration of justice," according to the Supreme Court opinion.

Glanville was removed from the trial and replaced by Whitaker.

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