Young Thug Pleads Guilty, Accepts Plea Deal & Concludes Role in Georgia’s Longest-Running Trial

Today (October 31), rapper Young Thug officially pleaded guilty to criminal street gang activity, bringing his role in Georgia’s longest-ever trial to a close, according to The New York Times. The high-profile YSL trial began nearly a year ago, in November 2023, after an 18-month lead-up that followed his 2022 arrest on extensive racketeering and gang-related charges. He admitted to six counts, including illegal possession of firearms and drugs.

YOUNG THUG SPEAKS 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/BohRHUcgei— THUGGERDAILY ひ (@ThuggerDaily) October 31, 2024

As the court proceedings reached their latest turn, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker offered Young Thug a non-negotiated plea—allowing her to determine the sentence with input from both parties, after plea negotiations with prosecutors failed to reach a resolution. Following discussions with his lawyers, Young Thug accepted the blind plea and added two more no-contest pleas for conspiracy under the RICO Act and for his role as a street gang leader. Prosecutors recommended a significant sentence of 45 years, proposing that 25 years be served in custody, followed by 20 on probation.

With origins tracing back to a May 2023 indictment, the YSL trial includes Young Thug and 27 others facing allegations of murder, robbery, and assault, along with firearm and drug offenses. Prosecutors allege that Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, led Young Slime Life (YSL), a gang with alleged ties to the national Bloods network. However, his defense team insists that YSL operates purely as a music collective under 300 Entertainment, focusing solely on artistic expression.