Young Thug was denied bond by a Fulton County, Georgia judge on Thursday (June 2nd). After an hours-long hearing, the rapper — who was arrested last month on gang activity and racketeering charges — was deemed a potential danger to the Atlanta community and case witnesses.
As The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, Young Thug (born Jeffery Williams) pleaded not guilty during the hearing and his attorneys promised to hire a team of off-duty law enforcement officers to monitor his activity if he was allowed to enter house arrest. Williams’ attorney, Brian Steel, said the rapper was also willing to to wear an ankle monitor, undergo regular drug tests, and surrender his cellphone and passport.
Both Machine Gun Kelly and 300 Entertainment co-founder Kevin Liles spoke on Young Thug’s behalf during Thursday’s hearing. “I truly believe, this whole thing, it’s not him. That’s not the Jeffery I know. The Jeffery I know would give me the clothes off his back,” Liles said (via Billboard). Liles also said he was “willing to back [Young Thug] personally and professionally.”
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However, Judge Ural Glanville was ultimately swayed by prosecutor Don Geary, who claimed that other gang members had admitted to him that they feared Young Thug would retaliate against them. As such, Young Thug will remain in jail until his trial, which is currently scheduled for January 9, 2023.
Young Thug was arrested on May 9th and charged with one count each of participation in street gang activity and conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The arrest was part of a 56-count indictment against his YSL (Young Slime Life) collective that prosecutors allege are affiliated with the Bloods. Soon after his arrest, Young Thug was hit with seven other felony charges after a police raid of his home turned up firearms and drugs.
Fellow YSL member Gunna, who is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the RICO Act, was denied bond by Judge Ural Glanville last week.
Revisit our explainer on Young Thug’s legal troubles (and what racketeering and the RICO Act really mean) here. The rapper last appeared alongside Dua Lipa on Calvin Harris’ “Potion,” a track we named Song of the Week.
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