Federal prosecutors on Thursday accused rapper Pooh Shiesty and eight others of staging a violent robbery and kidnapping in Texas earlier this year, allegedly motivated by a contract dispute involving rapper Gucci Mane's record label, 1017 Records. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Dallas declined to name the victims, instead referring to them by their initials in an FBI affidavit attached to a criminal complaint. One victim, R.D., is described as the owner of 1017 Records, whose legal name is Radric Delantic Davis.
"The victims in this case came to Dallas to conduct legitimate business and were met with firearms and violence," said Ryan Raybould, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, where the complaint was filed.
The alleged confrontation took place on January 10th, when the three victims flew to Dallas for what they thought was a business meeting at a music studio. According to the affidavit, Pooh Shiesty, whose legal name is Lontrell Williams Jr., arranged the meeting allegedly to discuss the terms of his contract with 1017 Records.
"Once these three men were inside the recording studio, Williams Jr. and eight co-conspirators—several of whom traveled from Memphis, Tennessee—executed a coordinated, armed takeover," said Raybould, who described Pooh Shiesty as the "ringleader."
Raybould said eight of the nine suspects were arrested on Wednesday. In Tennessee, the FBI in Memphis said it went to a home in the suburb of Cordova to serve court-approved warrants. Property records show it is owned by Pooh Shiesty.
The affidavit describes how Pooh Shiesty had asked to speak with the record label owner privately in a recording room. The label owner then entered the room with Pooh Shiesty, Pooh Shiesty's father, and rapper Big30, whose legal name is Rodney Wright. Both Lontrell Williams Sr. and Wright are also defendants.
Pooh Shiesty produced contract termination paperwork and told the label owner to sign. When they argued, Pooh Shiesty pulled what appeared to be an AK-style pistol and forced him to sign. Pooh Shiesty then took the man's wedding ring, watch, earrings, and cash, according to the affidavit.
When they left the room, the other defendants produced firearms and demanded property from the other two victims. The man referred to as M.M. was choked to near unconsciousness. Wright blocked the studio door with his body to prevent the victims from leaving.
Messages to Wright and his label were not immediately returned on Thursday. Contact information for Lontrell Williams Sr. could not be found immediately. A number listed for him was not in service, and the number listed for the house in Cordova was also not in service.
Pooh Shiesty did not immediately return an email request for comment. At the time of the alleged confrontation in Texas, he was on home confinement for a prior firearms conspiracy conviction out of Florida and was required to wear an electronic monitoring device, prosecutors said.
Investigators used data from the device, plus surveillance videos, cell phone records, and images posted on social media, as part of their probe, according to the affidavit. Bradford Cohen, an attorney for Pooh Shiesty in that firearms case, did not immediately reply to an email and phone call for comment.
Gucci Mane is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta rappers T.I. and Jeezy. He emerged in the mid-2000s with his breakout single "Icy" and went on to build a vast catalog. He has also helped launch or develop artists including Young Thug and earned a Grammy nomination for his appearance on Lizzo's song "Exactly How I Feel."
Gucci Mane's career has also been marked by legal troubles and personal struggles. In the 2000s and early 2010s, he faced multiple arrests on charges including drug possession, assault, and probation violations. In 2014, he was sentenced in a federal firearms case and was released from prison in 2016. His 2017 memoir "The Autobiography of Gucci Mane" reflects on his evolution as a music artist and personal struggles such as being diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In recent years, he has publicly emphasized sobriety and stability.
