Atlanta rapper Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, has been released from custody after accepting a guilty plea in the landmark YSL gang trial that has stretched over two years, marking the end of Georgia's longest-running criminal trial.
The 33-year-old artist, who had been in custody since May 2022, entered his plea on Thursday, October 31, 2024. Superior Court Judge Paige Whitaker accepted the plea and sentenced Williams to time served, with an additional 15 years of probation as part of a non-negotiated agreement.
The case, which began with Williams' indictment in 2022, centered around allegations that he led the YSL (Young Slime Life) street gang. Prosecutors, led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, employed Georgia's RICO statute to argue that YSL operated as a criminal enterprise with connections to the Bloods gang.
The resolution came after three co-defendants - Quamarvious Nichols (29), Marquavius Huey (28), and Rodalius Ryan (18) - accepted plea deals earlier this week amid discussions of a possible mistrial. Former co-defendant Trontavious Stephens had previously testified about YSL's gang connections, contradicting the defense's assertion that YSL was simply a music label meaning "Young Stoner Life."
Young Thug's career achievements include three chart-topping albums and collaborations with industry giants like Travis Scott, Drake, and Post Malone. He founded YSL Records in 2016, following his breakthrough success with the 2014 single "Stoner."
The trial garnered significant media attention, featuring memorable moments such as the defense's interpretation of "pushin P" as "pushing positivity" and Williams' strategic courtroom appearance in a wolf-emblazoned sweater after prosecutors likened him to a pack leader.
