Young Thug Accepts Plea Deal, Admits Guilty in RICO Trial

The rapper was arrested in May 2022 as part of a broad investigation into a conspiracy to violate Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

Young Thug comes home.

The rapper, who has been on trial for extortion since November last year, pleaded guilty in the long-running case on Thursday but avoided prison with a suspended sentence.

The Atlanta-born rap star (real name: Jeffery Lamar Williams) changed his plea to guilty after a brief break in court in Georgia. “Is it your decision to waive those rights and plead guilty because you are, in fact, guilty?” Fulton County Assistant District Attorney Adriane Love asked Young Thug, to which he responded, “Yes.”

Before changing the plea, Whitaker asked if the rapper had agreed to a non-negotiated plea deal, meaning prosecutors and the defense could not agree on a sentencing agreement and the judge will decide his sentence, according to NBC News.

The judge sentenced Young Thug to 40 years, which would have meant the rapper would have to serve five years in prison. The sentence was adjusted to take into account time already served. He was also given 15 years of probation – along with a “deferred” 20-year prison sentence, which will be served in custody if Young Thug doesn't complete his probation.

Before his final sentencing, Young Thug faced a maximum sentence of 120 years in prison. Prosecutors asked for a 45-year sentence, including 25 years in prison and 20 years probation.

USA TODAY has reached out to Young Thug's representatives for comment.

Young thug must perform community service and make anti-gang presentations

As part of his probation, Young Thug is prohibited from visiting the metro Atlanta area for the first ten years of probation, except for special events involving his immediate family.

The rapper also retains his passport for domestic and international business trips.

He was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service in each year of his probation. The rapper must return to Atlanta to do four community presentations a year that focus on anti-gang and anti-gun violence messages.

Young Thug's legal about-face comes after co-defendants Quamarvious Nichols, Rodalius Ryan and Marquavius Huey each pleaded guilty this week, according to Rolling Stone. Nichols was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Ryan and Huey were sentenced to 10 and 25 years, respectively.

According to Rolling Stone, co-defendants Deamonte “Yak Gotti” Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell remain in court as both men are charged with the 2015 murder of Donovan Thomas.

The rapper's trial, the longest in Georgia history, resumed on August 12 after a nearly two-month break and rotating judges. Kenneth “Lil Woody” Copeland, a former Young Thug associate and key prosecution witness, spent several hours on the witness stand.

Copeland reportedly admitted that he blamed Young Thug in interviews with police.

“I knew the police would never mess with him,” he said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It was easy for me to shift the blame onto him to get it off my chest.”

Young Thug says he has a “good heart” after his guilty plea.

Before his sentencing, Young Thug apologized to the court and his loved ones for the time he spent on his lengthy trial and said he took “full responsibility for my crimes.”

“I'm a smart guy. I'm a good guy. I really have a good heart,” Young Thug said. “I find myself in a lot of things because I was just nice or cool. And I understand that when you reach a certain size you can’t be like that anymore because it could end badly.”

The “Oh U Went” host also took a moment to thank the judge.

“In the last two and a half years of my life, you're honestly, honestly, the best thing that's ever happened to me because you've made everything fairer for me and everyone involved,” Young Thug told Whitaker.

The judge in the “Young Thug” case considered a mistrial before the rapper pleaded guilty

A week before Young Thug changed his plea in his RICO trial, Judge Whitaker considered declaring the trial false after a witness revealed confidential information to the jury, Fox 5 Atlanta and Billboard reported.

During the Oct. 23 hearing, rapper Slimelife Shawty — one of the original 28 defendants in the case — was asked by prosecutors to review social media posts to identify other co-conspirators. Shawty read aloud the headline “FREE QUA,” which revealed details about which defendants were incarcerated (both Nichols and Huey go by the pseudonym “Qua”).

“Now the jury has heard repeatedly that Mr. Nichols is in prison, and we can't ring that bell, so we're going to ask for a mistrial,” Nicole Westmoreland, one of Nichols' attorneys, said at the time, per Fox 5.

In response, Judge Whitaker reportedly said that a mistrial with prejudice, a ruling that would have barred the state of Georgia from retrying the case, was not up for debate. But Whitaker added that a mistrial without prejudice, which would allow a retrial, was a possibility.

Mariah The Scientist, more react to Young Thug's release

Singer Mariah The Scientist reacted to the news of her boyfriend Young Thug's release on her Instagram Stories, writing, “Thank you God!”

She then reposted a photo of her and the rapper, as well as a story from a friend who wrote: “I recommend @mariahthescientist I love her so much! She is the only person who made sure he spoke to his children every day throughout the entire process! Forever.” grateful for you. The singer replied, “That’s what we prayed for.”

Other stars reacted to the news, including Travis Scott, who wrote in an Instagram story: “My brudda otw home” and TI, who wrote on X: “Welcome home lil bruddah. It's been too long…time to get back to it!”!!”

Why was Young Thug on trial?

On May 9, 2022, Young Thug was arrested as part of a comprehensive investigation into a conspiracy to violate Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, also known as RICO. He was accused of co-founding a violent criminal street gang, Young Slime Life, and after two indictments in May and August 2022, he was charged with racketeering, drug and weapons possession.

Jury selection began in January 2023 and the Grammy-winning rapper's trial began ten months later. The case has suffered multiple delays since November 2023.

Whitaker took over the case after Chief Justice Ural Glanville was removed in July and Supreme Court Justice Shakura L. Ingram retired days later.

Young Thug initially pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence. Several of the original 28 defendants, including rapper Gunna, have entered into plea deals since being charged in 2022.

This story has been updated to add new information.

Contributors: KiMi Robinson, Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY