What were the charges against YFN Lucci? Atlanta rapper sentenced after pleading guilty in RICO trial

On Tuesday, January 23, Atlanta rapper YFN Lucci pled guilty to a violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. Lucci was handed a 10-year sentence with parole after serving 1/3rd of the sentence, along with 10 years of probation. Since the rapper has been behind bars since 2021, he can be released on parole after 3.5 more months.

Lucci's guilty plea is in relation to a long-drawn Fulton County racketeering case for which he was indicted as one of 12 suspects back in May 2021. He initially turned himself in to face murder charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a fatal drive-by shooting in 2020.

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YFN Lucci can be released in less than 4 months

Back in January 2021, YFN Lucci turned himself in to the police in relation to a fatal drive-by shooting that occurred in December 2020. The rapper, whose birth name is Rayshawn Lamar Bennett, was initially facing murder charges for the death of a 28-year-old and the injury of another.

The police alleged Lucci, back in December, was driving a vehicle that was hit with gunfire alongside one passenger, who was removed from the vehicle and left to die.

However, Hip Hop Dx stated prosecutors informed the judge during his trial that YFN Lucci did not fire these shots and was just driving. The rapper was out on bond, but four months later he and 11 others were hit with a 105-page indictment targetting the gang activity of alleged members of the Bloods.

The charges were filed with the assumption that the suspects were part of a faction within the Bloods. According to XXL Magazine, alongside the gang-related charges, the other charges against them included property damage, theft, aggravated assault, murder, armed robbery, a violation of Georgia's gun law, and racketeering.

YFN Lucci, who faced 13 charges in total, has been behind bars since 2021 and was even stabbed in jail back in May 2022. The rapper was given a plea deal in June 2023 which would have seen him serve a long 17 years in prison as part of a 20-year sentence, if accepted. However, he rejected the deal and chose to go on trial.

Having already served nearly 3 years behind bars, YFN Lucci's long-drawn trial came to an end on Tuesday, January 23 when the rapper pled guilty to one count of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. The 12 other counts against him were dismissed. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with 10 to serve and 10 years of probation. Lucci's attorneys said in a statement to Pitchfork:

"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."

However, YFN Lucci was given the option to apply for parole after 1/3rd of the sentence was served, allowing him to do so after 3.5 more months and then only have to serve his 10-year probation sentence. The prosecution also agreed for him to be released early on parole so that he can get back to his family and career.