Gucci Mane Kidnapping: Prosecutors Pitch Blame On Bandmate Pooh Shiesty For Gunpoint Robbery

Gucci Mane’s kidnapping and robbery case has seen a new development. The American rapper was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint in Dallas at the beginning of this year. The preliminary investigations that followed led to the arrest of eight individuals, one of whom was Mane’s fellow bandmate and artist Pooh Shiesty. He was also signed to Mane’s label.

In a statement issued by the Department of Justice, all nine individuals were federally charged with kidnapping and robbing fellow artists and numerous victims. The department alleged that these criminal activities were carried out inside a music studio in Dallas. The list of charged defendants also includes Lontrell Williams Jr., popularly known by his stage name Pooh Shiesty.

Prosecutors have claimed that Pooh was the one who led the attack under the disguise of a meeting. He allegedly held Gucci Mane captive for hours at gunpoint, where he was forced to sign some papers. One of them included paperwork permitting the release of Shiesty from a previous contract.

The incident is said to have taken place back on January 10. The federal complaint has further outlined that this was also the time when Shiesty was supposed to remain in house arrest after being embroiled in a previous conviction for firearms conspiracy.

Besides the eight other artists turned accomplices, Lontrell Williams Jr. was also joined by his father, Lontrell Williams Sr. All of them now stand accused of being co-participants in the crime.

Gucci Mane founded his own label named 1017 Records back in 2007. He has thus far collaborated with several other renowned artists, including Doja Cat, Drake, Usher and more. It was finally in 2020 that Mane roped in Pooh Shiesty as an artist under the label.

If convicted, these nine artists could face life in prison. However, they are yet to enter their pleas to the court. Eight of the defendants got arrested across Dallas, Memphis and Nashville on Wednesday itself. They were charged with federal kidnapping and robbery in court. On the other hand, one of these suspects remains missing as of now.

During a news conference on Thursday, U.S. Attorney Ryan Reybould addressed the efforts of locating the absconding suspect. He admitted that the authorities were rigorously working with the authorities in Georgia to track the missing individual. In his words, “One of the individuals that’s been charged has not had his initial appearance yet. But agents are actively working to locate and bring him to court.”

A statement from the FBI had previously decoded Gucci Mane’s complaint against Shiesty. It is alleged that the latter had brandished a ‘black AK-style pistol’ towards Gucci and forced him to sign the papers. Williams Jr. further robbed Mane of his wedding ring, earring, expensive watch and whatever cash he carried.

Meanwhile, the other suspects inside the studio room also followed suit in threatening the remaining victims. They pulled out pistols while demanding property from those kidnapped.

As per the complaint, one of the victims, who had only been identified by their name’s initials, even choked during the threatening moment. The suspects forced the individual to relinquish his Rolex watch, Louis Vuitton bag, AirPods and wallet. However, they committed a misstep soon after the kidnapping by going on social media and flaunting their loot.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Reybould remarked that it was these social media footprints that became crucial evidence to locate the suspects. While the victims initially apprehended that their kidnappers might kill them, they instead demanded that they leave the building immediately after.