Rapper Pooh Shiesty will remain behind bars after a federal judge denied his release on bail, citing concerns about public safety and his criminal history.
According to court documents, the judge determined that no combination of bail conditions would adequately protect the community, given the evidence prosecutors have presented against the Memphis-born artist. The decision references Shiesty's prior conviction and imprisonment related to a 2020 shootout, as well as what authorities describe as a pattern involving weapons.
Shiesty was arrested last week alongside several alleged co-conspirators, including his father, in a case that has sent shockwaves through the hip-hop community. Federal authorities allege the group kidnapped and robbed fellow rapper Gucci Mane as part of a scheme to extricate Shiesty from a recording contract with Gucci Mane's 1017 label.
"We're going to examine the accuracy of the statements from alleged victims in the complaint and what those individuals allegedly told them," said Shiesty's attorney, Bradford Cohen. "I'm not sure those individuals said what is said in indictment."
The case continues to develop as both sides prepare for what could be a high-profile legal battle, with Shiesty's defense team signaling they will challenge the prosecution's evidence and witness statements.