Antonio Sledge
A seventh man entered a plea in the wide-ranging indictment against an alleged criminal gang linked to rapper Young Thug called “Young Slime Life” or YSL.
This time, the defendant is Antonio “Mounk Tounk” Sledge, who pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to violate the racketeering act and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. As Law&Crime’s Cathy Russon reported, Sledge has to testify in any trial emerging from the indictment and will not be allowed to invoke his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination. In return for this, prosecutors will recommend he spend 15 years on probation for the racketeering charge and will drop the firearm charge.
A prosecutor said in court that Sledge was a YSL associate since 2012, threatened a member of a rival gang, participated in a drive-by shooting, and knew that at least one YSL associate murdered victim Donovan Thomas Jr. on behalf of the gang. He and other members got cash money from Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams to lay low, a prosecutor said.
NEW: ANOTHER PLEA DEAL in #YoungThug case. Co-defendant Antonio Sledge aka Mounk Tounk pleads guilty to 1 count of Conspiracy to violate Racketeering Act and 1 count of felon in possession of a firearm. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/Rqsyl05O7h
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) December 28, 2022
Plea details: Sledge must testify truthfully at #YoungThug trial & gives up the right to take the 5th. If he abides by all provisions the state is recommending 15 years probation on the racketeering charge & will nolle pros (basically drop the charge) poss. firearm charge. 2/4 pic.twitter.com/9iSSpuaVmq
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) December 28, 2022
BREAKING: #YoungThug co-defendant Antonio Sledge will testify to and has signed statements about Young Thug and others knowledge and/or participation in murders, drive-by shootings, gang activity, drug sales and more. 3/4 WATCH: pic.twitter.com/b0Kh4DhKcF
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) December 28, 2022
BREAKING: More details of #YoungThug co-defendant Antonio Sledge’s plea deal “..after the murder of Donovan Thomas Jr..YSL associates gathered at the home of Jeffery Williams aka #YoungThug who gave them case money to lay low.” 4/4 WATCH: pic.twitter.com/RGtbvqxxij
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) December 28, 2022
Williams is the best known of the 28 defendants — who were indicted in May — thanks to his Grammy-winning rap career. Charges, including one charged of possession of a machine gun, are pending in his case.
“Mr. Williams has committed absolutely no crimes,” Williams’ attorney Brian Steel told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution amid new charges in August. “We cannot wait for a trial date.”
Prosecutors claim Young Thug was a co-founder of YSL.
His brother and fellow rapper Quantavious “Unfoonk” Grier pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to a mix of time served and probation. Grier denied informing on Williams.
“Damn people really think I told on my own brother smh,” he wrote with laughing emojis on his Instagram account. “Show me in my paperwork I told on anybody lol, Im not even fenna entertain any of it, peace and blessings.”
As part of the deal, Grier cannot have contact with his brother until the end of the case. “If called by any party in this case, you will testify truthfully, but reserve your right to assert your 5th amendment privilege against self-incrimination,” documents state.
Martinez “Lil Duke” Arnold, Wunnie “Slimelife Shawty” Lee, Antonio “Obama” Sumlin, and alleged YSL co-founder Walter Murphy have also pleaded guilty.
Sergio “Gunna” Kitchens took a plea deal — known as an Alford plea — earlier this month. By doing an Alford plea, Kitchens maintains his innocence while conceding to punishment. In a statement, he maintained that he did not consider YSL a gang, but “a group of people from metro Atlanta who had common interests and artistic aspirations.”
From WXIA:
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. I have chosen to end my own RICO case with an Alford plea and end my personal ordeal by publicly acknowledging my association with YSL.
[Screenshot via Law&Crime Network]
