US rapper Young Thug released from jail on probation

US rapper Young Thug was released from jail Thursday night after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including gang, drug, and gun offences.

His release concludes what has been the longest criminal trial in Georgia’s history, the BBC reports.

The 33-year-old Grammy winner, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, had been held for over 900 days following his arrest in May 2022 on racketeering and gang-related charges.

Prosecutors initially alleged that his record label, Young Stoner Life Records, served as a front for an organised crime group connected to violent crime in Atlanta.

In a hearing Thursday, Williams was sentenced to time served and 15 years of probation, with jail records confirming his release that evening.

“I take full responsibility for my crimes, for my charges.

“To really everybody that has got something to do with this situation, I want to say sorry,” Williams said in court.

He expressed regret, describing himself as a “good guy with a good heart” who fell into trouble due to his nature of being “nice or cool.”

He acknowledged, “And I understand that you can’t be that way when you reach a certain height because it could end bad… and it could fall on you.”

Though prosecutors initially suggested a 45-year sentence, the final decision by Superior Court Judge Paige Whitaker commuted his sentence to the time he had served.

“I want you to try to be more of the solution and less of the problem,” Judge Whitaker advised him.

As part of the plea agreement, Williams pleaded guilty to one gang charge, three drug charges, and two gun charges.

He also entered a no-contest plea to leading a gang and violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, accepting punishment without disputing those charges.

Additional terms of his probation include 100 hours of community service, restrictions on gang contact, and a ban from staying in the Atlanta area for the first decade of his probation, with exceptions for family events and anti-gang presentations.

The lengthy trial saw numerous delays and disruptions.

Young Thug, known to fans as “Thugger,” and 27 associates at YSL Records were accused of crimes under the RICO Act.

Prosecutors argued YSL was shorthand for “Young Slime Life,” an alleged criminal gang linked to violent crimes including murder, robbery, and carjacking in Atlanta.

The use of rap lyrics in the indictment sparked backlash, with critics asserting that the prosecution’s case infringed on artistic freedom and was unfairly targeting a Black-dominated genre.

Multiple co-defendants took plea deals or had cases separated, with jury selection taking nearly 10 months starting January 2023.

In July, the trial was paused after Williams’s lawyers claimed misconduct by Judge Ural Glanville, alleging he pressured a witness to testify.

During the trial, a series of unusual events unfolded, including the arrest of a deputy accused of smuggling contraband to a defendant and a security breach in which someone yelled “Free Thug!” on the court’s Zoom call.

With Williams’s release, the remaining defendants in the case, Shannon Stillwell and Deamonte Kendrick, are expected to proceed with their trials.