Federal prosecutors accused rapper Pooh Shiesty and eight others of robbing three men at gunpoint and kidnapping them earlier this year in Texas following a contract dispute involving rapper Gucci Mane‘s record label.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Dallas declined to name the victims and an FBI affidavit attached to a criminal complaint only refers to them by their initials. One victim, R.D., is described as the owner of 1017 Records, the label belonging to Gucci Mane, whose legal name is Radric Delantic Davis. Publicists for Gucci Mane didn’t immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. The alleged confrontation happened Jan. 10 after the three victims flew to Dallas for what they thought was a business meeting at a music studio, according to the affidavit. Prosecutors said Pooh Shiesty, whose legal is name Lontrell Williams Jr., arranged the meeting, allegedly to discuss the terms of his contract with 1017 Records.
Raybould said eight of the nine were arrested Wednesday. In Tennessee, the FBI in Memphis said Wednesday that it went to a home in the suburb of Cordova to serve court-approved warrants. Property records show it is owned by Pooh Shiesty. Raybould described the three victims as music industry professionals. In the affidavit, the other two victims are referred to by the initials M.M. and B.P.
The affidavit said that Pooh Shiesty had asked to speak with the record label owner privately in a recording room. The label owner then entered the room with Pooh Shiesty, Pooh Shiesty’s father and rapper Big30, whose legal name is Rodney Wright. Both Lontrell Williams Sr. and Wright are also defendants. Pooh Shiesty produced contract termination paperwork and told the label owner to sign. They argued and Pooh Shiesty pulled what appeared to be an AK-style pistol and forced him to sign. Pooh Shiesty then took the man’s wedding ring, watch, earrings and cash, the affidavit said.
When they left the room, the other defendants produced firearms and demanded property from the other two victims, the affidavit said, and the man referred to as M.M. was choked to near unconsciousness. The affidavit said Wright blocked the studio door with his body to prevent the victims from leaving. Messages to Wright and his label were not immediately returned Thursday. Contact information for Lontrell Williams Sr. could not immediately be found. A number listed for him was not in service. The number listed for the house in Cordova was also not in service.
Pooh Shiesty didn’t immediately return an emailed request for comment. At the time of the alleged confrontation in Texas, he was on home confinement for a prior firearms conspiracy conviction out of Florida and was required to wear an electronic monitoring device, prosecutors said.
Gucci Maine’s career has been marked by legal troubles and personal struggles. In the 2000s and early 2010s, he faced multiple arrests on charges including drug possession, assault and probation violations. In 2014, he was sentenced in a federal firearms case and was released from prison in 2016.