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With Young Thug's trial quickly approaching, more YSL members are making surprising moves that may or may not help them in the long run.
On Thursday night, December 29, Laws & Crimes reporter Cathy Russon posted videos from key moments during the hearings of Tenquarius Mender aka “Nard” and Derontae Bebee. Unlike others before them, Nard and Bebee both rejected plea deals that would've gotten them released from jail. They chose to go to trial alongside Young Thug whith Nard facing a maximum of 50 years in prison and Bebee facing a life sentence.
Prior to their hearing, Trontavious Stephens aka Slug decided to accept a plea deal after he was charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeering Influenced & Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). During his hearing, Stephens, a founding member of YSL who also goes by "Tick," agreed to admit that Young Slime Life started as a gang before Young Thug converted it into a record label. He confirmed that Young Slime Life became Young Successful Lifestyle after Thug signed a deal.
Stephens also admitted that he's the "Tick" Young Thug refers to in his song "Eww." In the 2014 track produced by TM88 and Southside, Thugger raps, "I ain't doin' any features unless you give me your b***h/I'ma f**k for the cash then she gettin' robbed by Tick." The shocking admission comes after a months-long debate over the morality of using lyrics against artists in a court of law.
Stephens pleaded guilty to his sole charge of racketeering and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Two years of his sentence were considered as time served, and he'll do the rest of his time on probation. In exchange for his freedom, Stephens gave up his Fifth Amendment rights and agreed to testify in any future trials. This comes after Antonio "Mounk Tounk" Sledge also accepted a plea deal and confirmed to the court that Thug paid him and other YSL associates to "lay low" following the alleged orchestrated murder of suspected rival gang member Donovan Thomas in 2015.
What began as an indictment of 28 YSL members has been reduced to about 20. Along with the aforementioned members, Gunna, Lil Duke, SlimeLife Shawty, YSL co-founder Walter Murphy, Thugger's brother Unfoonk, and now Mounk Tounk have all accepted plea deals. The YSL trial is scheduled to begin on January 9, 2023.