Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis views the indictment of Young Thug as a win in her battle against gangs.
“As the district attorney of Fulton County, my No. 1 focus is targeting gangs,” Willis said on Tuesday (May 10), according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “And there’s a reason for that. They are committing, conservatively, 75 to 80% of all of the violent crime that we are seeing within our community.”
Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, was arrested on racketeering charges on Monday (May 9). He was charged with participating in criminal street gang activity and conspiring to violate Georgia’s criminal racketeering law.
Prosecutors also accused Young Thug of renting a vehicle used in a 2015 shooting that killed a rival gang member.
Young Thug and Gunna are the most notable names caught up in the sweeping RICO case targeting alleged YSL gang members. The two were among the 28 people listed in a 56-count indictment.
“It does not matter what your notoriety is, what your fame is,” Willis said. “If you come to Fulton County, Georgia, and you commit crimes … you are going to become a target and a focus of this district attorney’s office.”
Young Thug’s lawyer Brian Steel denied the allegations against his client. Steel declared he’d fight to “his last drop of blood” to clear the multi-platinum selling artist’s name.”
“Mr. Williams has committed no violation of law, whatsoever,” Steel said in a statement. “We will fight this case ethically, legally and zealously. Mr. Williams will be cleared.”