Atlanta rapper Gunna will be released from jail after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Act in the YSL 50-count indictment against Young Thug and others, but the “Pushing P” rapper will not spend any time in jail due to a commuted sentence.
On Wednesday, the announcement came as a surprise as Gunna was scheduled for trial starting January 9, 2023. According to WSBTV news in Atlanta, the rapper was sentenced to five years in jail after cutting a plea deal to plead guilty to the conspiracy charge.
Gunna was sentenced to five years. However, four of the five years will be a commuted sentence subject to special conditions. Among the several conditions of his release includes 500 hours of community service and one year in jail, which will be further computed to time served in jail. This means Gunna is walking free with no jail time.
There are reports that Gunna has already been released from jail. Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne reportedly attended the rapper’s hearing and reported that he negotiated a plea called the Alford plea. The motive behind the plea is to look after his best interest while maintaining his innocence.
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Gunna denied that he has cooperated with authorities in what many have called “snitching”.
“When I became affiliated with YSL in 2016, I did not consider it a “gang” more like a group of people from metro Atlanta who had common interests and artistic aspirations. My focus of YSL was entertainment – rap artists who wrote and performed music that exaggerated and “glorified” urban life in the Black community,” the statement began.
He added that his plea was not part of any deal and he was not going to be part of the trial of Young Thug and the other members of YSL.
“While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way.”
“I have chosen to end my own RICO case with an Alford plea and end my personal ordeal by publicly acknowledging my association with YSL,” Gunna added. “An Alford plea in my case is the entry of a guilty plea to the one charge against me, which is in my best interest, while at the same time maintaining my innocence toward the same charge. I love and cherish my association with YSL music, and always will. I look at this as an opportunity to give back to my community and educate young men and women that “gangs” and violence only lead to destruction.”
Among the conditions of his release from jail is that he must testify called but he does have the right to invoke his Fifth Amendment.
Gunna, Young Thug, and 26 of their affiliates were arrested in May after District Attorney Fani Willis said that the rappers and other members of YSL were operating a criminal enterprise that had terrorized members of the county since 2012.
The 50-count indictment named Young Thug and others on offenses such as murder, shooting, robberies, carjacking, and other offenses.
Prosecutors claimed that the rappers committed crimes and boasted about it in rap lyrics.
In the meantime, Gunna’s plea statement does impute guilt on Young Thug and others as it claims that the rapper has knowledge that members or associates of YSL committed crimes to promote a gang. However, he claimed his affiliation was with “YSL the label,” not “YSL the gang.”
“I recognize, accept and deeply regret that my talent and music indirectly furthered YSL the gang to the detriment of my community. YSL as a gang must end,” his statement read.
The shocking plea deal comes months after D.A. Willis said that some members of the gang had offered proffers to the DA. At the time, no witnesses were named as the judge had instituted strict discovery rules ahead of the January trial.
