Rayshawn Bennett, the rapper, faced allegations of murder, assault, and racketeering in 2021. These charges were part of a broader indictment targeting individuals associated with the alleged Blood gang.
YFN Lucci entered a guilty plea to a gang-related charge in Atlanta on Tuesday, agreeing to a plea deal negotiated with prosecutors.
Well, Rayshawn Bennett, the rapper known as YFN Lucci, faced accusations of murder, assault, and racketeering in 2021. These charges were part of a significant indictment led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis, targeting individuals associated with the alleged Blood gang. Following his surrender to authorities, he has been in custody ever since.
During jury selection, Bennett’s plea deal resulted in prosecutors dropping 12 out of 13 charges against him, as informed by his lawyers to PEOPLE. He pleaded guilty to one count, specifically violating Georgia’s Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.
“After three years of pretrial litigation, more than two weeks of jury selection, and three years of incarceration waiting for his jury trial, today, the prosecution finally relented and dismissed the murder and RICO charges against Rayshawn Bennett,” the rapper’s attorneys, Drew Findling, Gabe Banks and Marissa Goldberg, shared.
As reported by the NYT, Bennett agreed to a 10-year prison term, followed by a decade of probation. His lawyers noted the possibility of an earlier release, considering the time he has already spent in prison.
Bennett’s case is connected to the ongoing racketeering charges against the Atlanta rap collective YSL, also initiated by Willis.
According to CNN, prosecutors asserted that Bennett’s purported Blood gang sector clashed with the YSL group. Allegedly, discussions within the YSL group involved seeking permission from rapper Young Thug to harm Bennett.
In their statement, the legal team emphasized, “As he has maintained for three years, Mr. Bennett will NOT cooperate in any other case. By entering into this resolution, he will be eligible for parole in as early as four months from now.”
The statement concludes, “The prosecution has also agreed that he should be released early on parole, enabling him to reunite with his children, and family, and resume his career.”
Since his 2014 debut, Bennett achieved a top-15 album on the Billboard 200 with “Ray Ray from Summerhill” in 2018. Notably, he secured three entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the singles “Key to the Streets” featuring Migos and Trouble, “Everyday We Lit” with PnB Rock, and “Wet.”
