YFN Lucci pleaded guilty to a gang-related charge in a plea deal on Tuesday (Jan. 23).
After spending nearly three years behind bars, Lucci — born Rayshawn Bennett — pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. He was indicted in Atlanta in 2021 on murder, gang and racketeering charges.
The plea deal included having 12 of the 13 counts against Lucci dropped — including felony murder, which comes with a life sentence — related to the 2020 shooting death of rival gang member James Adams in Atlanta.
YFN Lucci will serve 10 years behind bars, and another 10 years on probation.
“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,” Lucci’s attorney Drew Findling tells Billboard. “After the dismissal of 12 of the 13 counts against him, Mr. Bennett entered a plea to one gang-related count.”
The “Everyday We Lit” rapper surrendered to authorities in January 2021 and was part of a May 2021 sweeping indictment targeting alleged Bloods gang members.
He will be credited for time served, which means he can be eligible for parole in four months. If granted, Lucci is slated to serve out the rest of the sentence on probation.
The state of Georgia also agreed to not file anything that will object to his release later this year. According to Atlanta’s local ABC affiliate WSB-TV, the 32-year-old addressed the court and apologized to the victim’s family before his sentencing.
Findling also vehemently denied that his client would be cooperating in any case such as Young Thug’s YSL RICO trial following his plea deal.
“As he has maintained for three years now, Mr. Bennett will NOT cooperate in any other case,” the attorney tells Billboard. “By entering into this resolution, he will be eligible for parole in as early as four months from now. The prosecution has also agreed that he should be released early on parole and this will allow him to get back to his children, family and career.”
Billboard has reached out to the Fulton County Courthouse for additional comment.