Young Thug‘s RICO case has taken yet another turn after one more defendant has taken a plea deal. On Friday (November 3) the total number of defendants, originally 28, went down to 6.
Atlanta-area outlets reported that defendant Derontae Bebee, also known as “Bee” or “B,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the state’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), armed robbery, hijacking a motor vehicle, theft by receiving stolen property, violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm by convicted felon, and participation in criminal street gang activity.
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He was sentenced to 15 years in total: five years behind bars, and an additional ten on probation. One of the conditions of his plea was that he needs to cease on any and all promotion of YSL in the public eye — inclusive of social media. In addition, he will be required to testify in the trials of his co-defendants if he is called on to do so. However, Beebee’s attorney told news outlets that prosecutors were clear he would not be asked to.
Earlier this week, a jury was finally seated for the trial of Young Thug (real name Jeffrey Lamar Williams) and the remaining defendants after ten months of jury selection efforts.
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Despite their best efforts, Thugga’s legal team who relentlessly pushed for bond on grounds of their client’s poor health — stemming from the one and a half years he’s spent in pretrial detention — was unable to secure a deal. In turn, the rapper’s camp has asked for a swift trial.
Last month, the Business Is Business star’s attorney revealed an all-star witness list that includes some of the biggest names in Hip Hop.
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Court documents obtained by HipHopDX show that the index, which was filed by Thug’s attorney Brian Steel around mid-October, includes names such as T.I. (real name Clifford Harris), Killer Mike (Michael Render) and music business executive Lyor Cohen.
Thugga’s witness list also includes a variety of experts, including investigator Jimmy Martin, sheriff’s deputy Jimmy Kennedy, attorney Jacoby Hudson and cell phone expert Detective Scott Demeester.
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In all, there are 45 witnesses on Thugga’s witness list, plus “any and all co-Defendants in the above-referenced Indictment,” and “any and all witnesses named in the State’s Witness List as well as any and all witnesses named in the co-Defendants’ Witness List.”
Previous YSL associates to take plea deals include Gunna, Young Thug’s brother Unfoonk, Slimelife Shawty (Winnie Lee), Lil Duke (Martinez Arnold).YSL co-founder Walter Murphy and Antonio “Obama” Sumlin.
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The Punk rapper faces eight charges, including conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and participation in criminal street gang activity, along with a string of drug and weapons offenses.
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