Prosecutors allege Pooh Shiesty held Gucci Mane at gunpoint over a refusal to release the former from his record deal, then took his wedding ring, watch, earrings and money.
DALLAS (CN) – Memphis rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30 were among nine people indicted Thursday in the brazen robbery and kidnapping of rapper and music executive Gucci Mane at a Dallas recording studio in January.
Federal prosecutors allege that Pooh Shiesty, born Lontrell Williams Jr., lured Gucci Mane, Gucci Mane’s head of security and a third person to a Dallas music studio on Jan. 10 to talk about his record deal. Williams Jr. signed to Gucci Mane’s 1017 Records in 2020. Prosecutors say Rodney Wright Jr., aka Big30, was at the meeting.
Gucci Mane, whose legal name is Radric Davis, goes by his initials at Indictment of 32 pages.
Williams Jr. asked Davis at the meeting to sign a release terminating his contract, prosecutors allege.
“When RD refused, Williams Jr. became agitated and the pair began to argue,” prosecutors say in the indictment. “Williams Jr. then pulled what appeared to be a black AK-style handgun from the page and pointed it at RD, again demanding that RD sign the contractual release papers. RD complied, signing the papers for Williams Jr. while Williams Sr. and Wright stood by.”
Prosecutors allege that Wright Jr. then recorded Davis signing the documents “while being forced to say that he ‘released'” Williams Jr. from their contract and that Williams Jr. then robbed Davis of his wedding ring, watch, earrings and money.
The remaining defendants include Williams Jr.’s father, Lontrell Williams Sr., Kedarius Waters, Terrance Rodgers, Damarian Gipson, Demarcus Glover, Kordae Johnson and Darrion McDaniel.
Williams Jr.’s home. in Memphis it was checked by federal investigators the day before the indictment, CBS’ WREG in Memphis reported.
Eight of the nine defendants were arrested in Dallas, Memphis and Nashville on the day of the raid.
Williams Jr.’s father advised that the “release” had to be dated, resulting in Davis being forced to write the date next to his forced signature, prosecutors allege.
Prosecutors say the remaining six defendants then produced their AK-style pistols and demanded property from Davis’ friends, with one pushed onto the control room couch and the other choked from behind “until he nearly lost consciousness.” Their stolen items included a Louis Vuitton designer bag, expensive watches, Apple headphones and wallets.
Williams Jr.’s debut mixtape, “Shiesty Season,” was released in 2021 and peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard**Hot 100. The mixtape featured guest appearances from both Davis and Wright Jr. Williams Jr. was sentenced to five years in federal prison in 2022 after pleading guilty to a gun conspiracy in Florida He was released last year.
Prosecutors say they tied Williams Jr. with the Dallas robbery via ankle monitor, as well as the defendants’ social media posts showing the stolen luxury items.
Wright Jr. appeared on Williams Jr.’s song. 2021’s “Neighbors,” which peaked at No. 51 on the Hot 100. Wright Jr.’s mixtape was released the same year and featured Williams Jr. Wright Jr. also featured on Davis’ 2021 single “Shit Crazy”.
Ryan Raybould, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, described the three victims as thinking “they were coming into town for a business meeting.”
“Instead of discussing business in a civil manner, the defendants resorted to violence and intimidation to achieve their purported business objectives,” Raybould said. “For anyone who considers using violence and intimidation as a business practice, I’m here to tell you that they will be investigated and prosecuted vigorously in the Northern District of Texas.”
Some of the defendants were identified through Greyhound bus logs of trips from Dallas to Memphis the day after the robbery, Raybould added.
Subscribe to our free newsletters
Our weekly newsletter Closing arguments provides the latest on ongoing trials, major litigation and decisions in courts around the US and the world, while monthly Under the lights feeds legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.
