US rapper Young Thug was released from jail on Thursday evening after pleading guilty to charges related to gang activity, drugs, and firearms, concluding the longest criminal trial in Georgia’s history. The Grammy winner, born Jeffery Lamar Williams, had been incarcerated for over 900 days since his arrest on charges of racketeering and gang involvement. In May 2022, prosecutors claimed that the rap label he founded served as a front for a criminal syndicate responsible for a significant portion of violent crime in Atlanta.
On Thursday, he was sentenced to time served and 15 years of probation, and jail records confirm his release that same night. Mr Williams stated in court, “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.
” In a short address, he depicted himself as a well-intentioned individual whose amiable nature led him into difficulties. He conceded that achieving a certain level of success demands greater prudence. Prosecutors had initially sought a 45-year sentence, including 25 years in custody and 20 on probation.
However, plea negotiations fell through, and Superior Court Judge Paige Whitaker commuted his sentence to the time already served, allowing for his release. “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 deal, Mr Williams admitted guilt to one gang charge, three drug char.