More YSL rappers have accepted a plea deal. According to The New York Times reporter Joe Coscarelli, YSL rappers Lil Duke and Slimelife Shawty have been released from jail on separate plea deals. The release comes days after Gunna was freed.
“Like Gunna, Slimelife Shawty faced just one count: conspiracy to violate RICO the acts he was accused of—arguably the most tenuous in the indictment—were based only on lyrics, videos, clothing, and social media chatter/threats,” Coscarelli shared online.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Shawty, born Wunnie Lee, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act as a first offender. He was sentenced to 10 years with one year of time served and nine years of probation.
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Lil Duke, born Martinez Arnold, pleaded guilty to violating the state’s RICO act and participation in criminal street gang activity, dropping five drug and gun charges. Arnold was sentenced to 12 years, with two years commuted to time served and 10 years of probation.
There are 24 remaining co-defendants in the trial, including Young Thug. Thug’s attorney Brian Steel states the plea deals show his client is the target.
“He’s like the easy target,” Steel explained. “So, somebody gets arrested and gets in trouble and they want to deal. Law enforcement officers are all too eager to say, ‘Well, tell us about Mr. Williams. Is he involved in this? What do you know about him?’
“That’s the problem with this case. It’s coming from the word of people who are getting deals to say, ‘Yeah, he was there or I saw him around or he gave the order or I heard from someone else. He gave the order.’ That’s what this case is about.
“When you target a human being who’s so well-known, you make it so easy for the other person to say, ‘Oh, you mean I could be released from this location that I don’t want to be? All I have to say is I know some about Jeffrey Williams?’ That’s pretty scary.”
The YSL trial will begin on Jan. 5, 2023.
