Two more Young Thug co-defendants accept plea deals
ATLANTA (AP) — Two more people standing trial along with rapper Young Thug pleaded guilty to reduced charges Wednesday after reaching deals with prosecutors.
Pleas from Rodalius Ryan and Marquavius Huey came just a day after another co-defendant, Quamarvious Nichols, took a plea deal.
Ryan, 18, pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiring to violate the state’s anti-racketeering law. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker accepted the terms of the plea agreement, sentencing Ryan to 10 years, which was commuted to time served. But he will remain behind bars as he is already serving a life sentence for murder, though that sentence is being appealed.
One of Ryan’s attorneys, Leah Abbasi, said they “categorically and adamantly deny that YSL is the criminal dangerous street gang which it’s been made out to be.” She said her client was making the best decision for his future.
Young Thug, a tremendously successful rapper started his own record label, Young Stoner Life or YSL. Prosecutors have said he also co-founded a violent criminal street gang and that YSL stands for Young Slime Life. The rapper, whose given name is Jeffery Williams, has pleaded not guilty to charges against him.
Huey, 28, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, robbery, gun, gang and aggravated assault charges, with prosecutors agreeing that some sentences could be served at the same time. Whitaker accepted that plea agreement as well, sentencing Huey to 25 years, with nine to be served in prison, 11 on probation and five years suspended.
One of Huey’s attorneys, Careton Matthews Sr., said they “emphatically and categorically deny” some of the allegations read out by the prosecutor but they recognize that there is enough evidence to support the counts he was pleading guilty to. He also pointed out that his client has already been in custody for about four years, which should count against his nine years in custody.
Whitaker noted that Huey was facing three consecutive life sentences plus about 100 years and said it was “frankly remarkable” that the state agreed to the sentence he got for these “very serious charges.” She cautioned him not to violate the terms of his agreement, saying she would not likely show much lenience if he appears before her again given his relatively light sentence.
“You are getting a huge opportunity to turn your life around,” she told him, noting that he will likely be out of prison in just a few years.
The pleas leave the fate of Young Thug and two others still undecided in what has become Georgia’s longest criminal trial. Jury selection at the courthouse in Atlanta began in January 2023 and took nearly 10 months. The trial began with opening statements last November, and prosecutors since then have called dozens of witnesses.
Young Thug, a Grammy winner, was charged two years ago in a sprawling indictment accusing him and more than two dozen other people of conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. He also is charged with gang, drug and gun crimes.
Nine people charged in the indictment accepted plea deals before the trial began. Twelve others are being tried separately. Prosecutors dropped charges against one defendant after he was convicted of murder in an unrelated case.