The Atlanta rapper is set to be released from prison after pleading guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge in the YSL gang case.
On Wednesday, he entered a negotiated plea, known as an Alford plea, in which he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Act, while maintaining his innocence on the same charge, according to WSB-TV.
Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, was sentenced to five years with one served in prison. The one-year sentence was commuted to time served.
The remaining four-year sentence has been suspended and will be subject to special conditions, including 500 hours of community service.
Despite taking the plea deal, Gunna said he will not be cooperating with prosecutors further. However, he must testify if called as a condition of his release, though he can claim the Fifth Amendment.
“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,” Gunna said in his plea statement.
When he joined YSL in 2016, Gunna said he didn’t consider it a gang, but “more like a group of people from metro Atlanta who had common interests and artistic aspirations.” He added, “My focus of YSL was entertainment — rap artists who wrote and performed music that exaggerated and ‘glorified’ urban life in the Black community.”
“I recognize, accept and deeply regret that my talent and music indirectly furthered YSL the gang to the detriment of my community,” he said in the signed statement. “YSL as a gang must end.”
Gunna was arrested in May as part of a sweeping RICO indictment that includes Young Thug and other members of YSL. The trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 9, 2023.
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