Jailed rapper Pooh Shiesty pleaded guilty to a single firearms conspiracy charge Tuesday under a deal with federal prosecutors that means he’s no longer facing a possible life sentence for allegedly shooting a man in the buttocks at a Florida hotel.
After his reversal and conviction on Count 1 of conspiracy to possess firearm in furtherance violent and drug-trafficking crime, prosecutors dropped the remaining three counts in the updated indictment. This included the most serious, which alleges that he fired a weapon during the confrontation at Bay Harbor Islands’ Landon Hotel on Oct. 9, 2020.
Magistrate Judge Lauren Fleischer Louis accepted the new plea after cautioning that the jointly recommended sentence of 97 months outlined in the non-binding deal was not guaranteed at Shiesty’s future sentencing hearing before Chief Judge K. Michael Moore.
“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. Do you understand?”Judge Fleischer Louis stated this during the afternoon hearing in Miami federal court.
“I understand,”Shiesty, who has been held in custody for seven month, responded.
Lontrell Williams is the rapper. He released a jailhouse freestyle called “Federal Contraband”He shared his hope to be freed from custody as he spoke with fans last month.
“Ima be back in a minute won’t be too long til I’m free,”He posted the message to his Instagram account on December 17.
While Williams’ admission of guilt does not guarantee he’ll receive prosecutors’ recommended sentence, it helps his standing in terms of how his points add up to determine the sentencing guidelines in his case. A source says that Williams’ guilty plea reduces his overall score by three points. This is a significant reduction. Rolling Stone.
Williams’ decision to strike a deal followed after The alleged victim shot in the buttocks, identified as 28-year-old Brandon Cooper, was indicted in Florida on suspicion of taking part in an elaborate bank-fraud scheme, the Miami Herald reported.
“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 told Rolling StoneOctober
Williams, 22, was taken into custody after his June 9 arrest in connection with a separate matter. Williams was arrested in connection with the Landon Hotel case a few weeks later and placed on bail.
Prosecutors claim that the rapper from Memphis, whose Blood in the BackLil Durk’s collaboration went platinum in May. According to rumors, he drove a rented McLaren to his hotel on the day the alleged shooting took place. “purchase a pair of high-end athletic sneakers and marijuana.”
The video footage shows Williams arriving at the hotel with an unknown man, who is described as his road supervisor, riding shotgun. Another man followed them in a black Mercedes Maybach.
Williams was allegedly asked for marijuana, and then he took a look at a pair of shoes. He then allegedly pulled out a Draco compact weapon and fired, hitting the victim in the buttocks. Investigators had previously stated that Williams did this.
As Williams drove off, a Louis Vuitton bag stuffed with $40,912 in cash fell out of the driver’s seat of the McLaren, authorities claimed. Investigators said they linked the cash to Williams by matching the full serial number on one of the recovered bills to a $100 bill flashed on Williams’ Instagram account days before the alleged robbery.
The date for Williams’ sentencing was not immediately set.