ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Superstar rapper Young Thug was released from prison Thursday evening, hours after receiving a 40-year sentence in his internationally watched YSL criminal trial, with five years remaining in prison, which was commuted to a prison sentence of 40 years. until the moment he has already spent time behind bars, which led to his release.

With his release, Jeffery Williams (Young Thug’s real name) will serve fifteen years of probation. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker said if Williams is successful on probation, the remainder of his sentence will be commuted to time served. Williams is also prohibited from having contact with any other YSL co-defendants or witnesses in the trial, other than his biological brother Quantavious Grier (aka Unfoonk) and Sergio Giavanni Kitchens (aka Gunna). Wiliams is also banned from metro Atlanta for the first ten years of his probation.

“You need to stay out of the Atlanta metro area,” Whitaker said.

Williams may return to Atlanta for large family events such as weddings, funerals, graduations or medical emergencies, and for community service.

“I’m going to demand that you come to metro Atlanta and do a live presentation against gang and gun violence four times a year,” Whitaker said.

Jeffrey Williams Sr., Young Thug’s father, said he is against that part of the judge’s ruling because he is from here.

Accompanied by attorneys Brian Steele and Keith Adams, Williams agreed to a non-negotiated plea, which can result when a suspect and prosecutors cannot agree on a sentence. Defense attorneys give the judge full control over the sentence. The judge could follow the state’s or attorneys’ recommendations or impose a completely different sentence.

“This is not what I wanted, I don’t believe it’s fair, but I believe it’s just under the circumstances and he’s happy with it, as are we,” said attorney Brian Steel. “For Jeffrey to go home today and not have another 100 days, 90 days of this, he’s very happy.”

Here are the charges against one of American music’s most decorated artists and how he pleaded:

• Violation of the Georgia RICO Act – nolo candidatee (no contest);
• Organizer of a criminal street gang activity (lead charge) – nolo candidatee (no contest);
• Participation in a criminal street gang activity – guilty;
• Possession of a machine gun – guilty;
• Possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime – guilty;
• Convicted of three violations of Georgia’s drug law.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Williams was sworn in and listened as Fulton County Chief Deputy District Attorney Adriane Love read the charges against him. Love then asked Whitaker to impose a 45-year prison sentence, with 25 years in custody and 20 years on probation.

Williams’ attorneys asked for a 45-year prison sentence on the charges, with 40 years probation, and credit for time served. They also requested that Williams be placed under house arrest for three years and agreed to wear an ankle monitor for a year. He also pledged $100,000 to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to host a firearms buyback event; to refrain from being near the Cleveland Avenue area; and perform 100 hours of community service over the next three years.

“I take full responsibility for my crimes,” Williams said. “I’m a smart guy; I’m a good guy. I hope you will allow me to go home and trust that I am doing the right thing.

“I learned from my mistakes.”

Williams’ plea deal is the latest development in Georgia’s longest criminal trial in history. Earlier this week, for the first time since she took over the trial less than six months ago, Whitaker said publicly that she believed there is evidence of an organized crime-like conspiracy.

In accepting a plea deal from one of Young Thug’s co-defendants, Quamarvious Nichols, Whitaker said: “I find that I have now heard the evidence up to the point of the trial and that there is evidence of at least one overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy and that there is evidence that would fall within the requisite statute of limitations to establish this RICO conspiracy.”

Since then, Williams and three of the remaining co-defendants have entered plea deals, leaving only Shannon Stillwell (SB) and Deamonte Kendrick (aka Yak Gotti) on trial. The hearing will resume on Monday at 8:30 am

On Thursday, Kendrick’s attorney, Douglas Weinstein, said his client has rejected a plea deal. Weinstein said his client “fully intends to put this to the jury, get our not guilty verdicts and go home.”

On Wednesday, Rodalius Ryan (aka “Lil Rod”) pleaded guilty to one count of violating Georgia’s RICO law. Ryan, who was previously convicted of the 2019 murder of Jamari Holmes, is already serving a life sentence and was sentenced to an additional 10 years in prison.

Also on Wednesday, Marquavius ​​Huey (aka “Qua”) pleaded guilty to one count of RICO violation and accepted a reduced sentence on charges of theft (less armed robbery); and firearm possession charges.

On Tuesday, Quamarvious Nichols (aka “Qua”) accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to attempt to violate the RICO law. In return, Fulton County prosecutors dropped the remaining charges of murder, participation in a criminal street gang, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Nichols was sentenced to 20 years in prison, seven of which would be suspended.

The plea deals came after Whitaker dropped out of the trial last week after attorneys objected to the testimony of Wunnie Lee (aka Slimelife Shawty), who had previously reached a plea deal in exchange for his testimony. A social media post with the hashtag was shown in court #freequaa reference to a previous prison sentence for one of YSL’s co-defendants who is now on trial, along with Jeffery Williams, Young Thug’s real name.

Opening statements were made at Young Thug’s trial on November 27, 2023. The trial’s jury selection lasted longer than any other trial in Georgia history, and the actual witness statements themselves will likely surpass state records. Both records were set by the Atlanta Public Schools teacher scandal and lawsuit in 2014-2015.

Young Thug celebrated his 33rd birthday on August 16, 2024, after being arrested on May 9, 2022, along with 27 other suspected gang members in Buckhead as part of a 56-count indictment.

The trial itself began on November 27, 2023. Defense attorneys have repeatedly raised concerns about the length of the trial, and Fulton County prosecutors have yet to call more than 100 witnesses.

Prosecutors are trying to prove that YSL is a criminal street gang responsible for numerous crimes. Defense attorneys say YSL is not a gang, but simply the name of a record label.

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