Pooh Shiesty was facing up to life in prison for allegedly shooting a man in the buttocks, but after reaching a deal with prosecutors, he has pleaded guilty to a single lesser charge of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of violent and drug-trafficking crimes, Rolling Stone reports.
The 22-year-old rapper, who was born Lontrell Williams, was indicted last year following a shooting. Prosecutors argued that Williams and his associates had met two men at the Landon Hotel in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, with the intention of purchasing marijuana and high-end sneakers.
Purportedly the deal went wrong, ending with Williams firing into one man’s rear, while his associate shot another man in the hip. They allegedly fled the scene but left behind a Louis Vuitton bag containing $40,912 in cash. The serial number of one of the bills in the bag matched a bill that Williams had posted on Instagram in a picture with several guns.
Williams has been in custody since last June, having been arrested for a separate incident. The decision to strike a plea deal came about after the man who was allegedly shot in the rear, 28-year-old Brandon Cooper, was indicted on suspicion of taking part in a bank-fraud scheme.
“We’ve entered into plea negotiations because there have been developments in the case that I think changed the dynamics of the case,” Williams’ defense lawyer Bradford Cohen said in October.
As part of the deal, prosecutors are recommending that Williams serve no more than 97 months in prison. Magistrate Judge Lauren Fleischer Louis accepted the guilty plea, while cautioning the rapper that his sentencing judge, Chief Judge K. Michael Moore, is not bound to accept that recommendation.
“If Judge Moore gives you a sentence that is higher than what you were hoping for, that will not be grounds to withdraw your plea,” Judge Fleishcher Louis said during a recent hearing. “Do you understand?”
“I understand,” Williams replied. No date has been set for sentencing.
Last year, Pooh Shiesty released the album Shiesty Season. On December 27th, he dropped the new single “Federal Contraband (Freestyle),” which was recorded from prison, and which you can check out below.
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