Key points
- Rapper spent 906 days in custody during YSL prosecution. He left Fulton County court after a midtrial plea deal.
- He admitted joining a criminal street gang and drug offences. Judge imposed 40 years with most years suspended to probation.
- Prosecutors said YSL gang hit Atlanta with violent crimes. Many co-defendants earlier took pleas including rapper Gunna.
Young Thug (Jeffery Lamar Williams) is a free man again. He walked out of an Atlanta courtroom on 31 October 2024 after a midtrial plea. The move ended his long RICO fight.
He and 27 other YSL names were first picked up on 9 May 2022. Prosecutors said the crew ran crimes across Atlanta for ten years. The long saga kept hip-hop on watch, like recent music reports.
How the RICO case unfolded
Trial hearings finally opened on 27 November 2023 with six defendants. It soon became the longest criminal trial in Georgia history. Hearings dragged as jurors, lawyers and witnesses battled schedules.
On 31 October 2024, Thug chose a middle exit. He pleaded guilty to gang, drug and gun counts. He must now serve 15 years’ probation and 20 backloaded years.
What the plea means
In court, the rapper told the judge he was sorry. He said he hurt his mum, children, team and fans, noting recent entertainment stories. He called himself a smart man with a good heart.
Several co-defendants had already taken deals, led by Gunna. Their quick exits once sparked talk of snitching in rap. Leaked calls in August 2025 again stirred that debate.
Thug has stayed low since leaving jail. He dropped his fourth studio album, UY Scuti, on 26 September. The record showed he still plans a full comeback.
