Young Thug's attorney made a statement

Young Thug's attorney made a statement after YSL artists Lil Duke and SlimeLife Shawty accepted guilty pleas in the crew's ongoing Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations prosecution.

After negotiating with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' office, the two up-and-coming rappers became the third and fourth defendants detained under the massive YSL indictment in May to be freed this week.

Similar arrangements were made for Gunna on Wednesday (December 14) and YSL co-founder Walter Murphy on Friday (December 16).

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lil Duke, born Martinez Arnold, had five drug and gun charges reduced in return for pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate Georgia's RICO laws and one count of criminal street gang activity.

In the YSL Rico case, Lil Duke has also entered a plea. He was sentenced to time served and a suspended 10-year term. pic.twitter.com/URxo8Hb0R9

December 17, 2022 — DJ Akademiks (@Akademiks)

Duke's 12-year sentence was reduced for two years, allowing him to walk out of the Fulton County Jail on Friday. He will be on probation for the remaining ten years of his sentence. While Lil Duke is from Chicago, he presently resides in California and has been granted permission to return as part of his parole.

Lil Duke's agreement also states that he may be asked to testify in the case at a later date, but that he maintains the right to plead the Fifth when questioned.

SlimLife Shawty was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty as a first-time offender to one count of conspiracy to violate the RICO act. The Atlanta native also took an Alford Plea, which implies he maintains his innocence but accepts that accepting the bargain given by prosecutors was in his best interests.

SlimLife Shawty posted a statement on his Instagram Stories following his release to dispel any rumors that his bargain included any charges against the others included in the YSL indictment.

Lil Duke of YSL and SlimeLife Shawty of SlimeLife accept plea agreement in RICO case https://t.co/FoC4kxW3kg pic.twitter.com/4qTeL3o2fI

Judge Ural Glanville imposed a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., local time, unless they were working, going to school, or had a medical emergency.

In a recent interview for an 11Alive documentary about Young Thug's case, his attorney, Brian Steel, stated that he believes the plea agreements show that officials are targeting his client.

"He's kind of like the easy target," Steel added. "So, someone is arrested and in difficulty, and they want to deal with it. 'Well, tell us about Mr. Williams,' police officers are all too willing to say. Is he a part of this? 'How much do you know about him?'

"That's the issue with this case," the attorney continued. "It's coming from the word of individuals who are getting deals to say, 'Yeah, he was there or I saw him there or he issued the order or I heard from someone else. He delivered the command.' That is the subject of this case.

"When you target a well-known human being, you make it so simple for the other person to say, 'Oh, you mean I may be freed from this spot that I don't want to be?'" he added. All I have to say is that I know a little bit about Jeffrey Williams.' That's rather frightening."

— Hip Hop Movement Podcast  December 17, 2022 on YouTube

"This is a strange scenario, they're really trying to blame Young Thug for everything, I guess you wouldn't understand until you were in their position SMH")