Thug, real name Jeffery Williams, accepted a plea deal in his RICO case, allowing him to go free under probation for the next 15 years, the New York Times reports.
Thug has been under arrest since May 2022 and on trial since November 2023 — the longest trial in Georgia history. He was charged with gun, drug, and gang-related crimes allegedly related to his record label YSL. He accepted a blind guilty plea, which means the judge decides his sentence, in addition to pleading no contest to two charges. The prosecution recommended 45 years, with 25 served followed by 20 on probation. The defense recommended 45 years with five served, commuted to the time already served in custody. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker decided on 40 years with five served, commuted to time served with 15 years probation. Brian Steel, Thug’s lawyer, said he accepted the deal because the lengthy legal proceedings were “holding this man hostage.”
Whitaker then proceeded to run through his sentence and slapped him with 40 years, with the first five years served in prison, commuted by time served, 15 years of probation and thousands of dollars in fines. That will be followed by a backloaded 20 years, which can be served in custody if he fails probation. Essentially, Thug will get out of jail immediately and remain on probation for 15 years.
The judge also told Thug he has to stay out of the Atlanta Metro area for the first 10 years of his probation unless he needs to attend a funeral, wedding or such event of a close family member. He must deliver an anti-gun, anti-gang ad at a school or boys or girls club four times a year, which would count toward his community service hours. Furthermore, he cannot promote street gangs or violence, knowingly engage with anyone listed in the indictment or their family members and cannot posses a weapon but can be in arms reach of anyone in his security detail. He must undergo drug tests as well.