Memphis rapper Pooh Shiesty has found himself in severe legal trouble once again, this time facing federal charges for allegedly orchestrating a violent armed robbery and kidnapping against his own mentor and label boss, Gucci Mane.
Federal authorities apprehended Shiesty—whose real name is Lontrell Williams Jr.—alongside fellow rapper Big30 and six other men on Wednesday, April 1. According to the Department of Justice, the group is accused of executing a brutal raid on a Dallas recording studio earlier this year on January 10.
The DOJ claims that Shiesty lured Gucci Mane and several music industry figures to the studio under the pretense of renegotiating his contract. Once the targets arrived, Shiesty and his crew allegedly launched a "coordinated armed takeover." During the terrifying ambush, one victim was reportedly forced to sign contract release documents at gunpoint, while another was choked until they nearly lost consciousness. The assailants allegedly stripped the victims of their cash and jewelry, with Big30 accused of barricading the door to prevent anyone from escaping. Authorities also suspect that Shiesty’s father, Lontrell Williams Sr., participated in the violent heist.
In connection with the arrests, the FBI raided Shiesty's Memphis home on Wednesday.
"The victims in this case came to Dallas to conduct legitimate business and they were met with firearms and violence," stated Ryan Raybould, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, during a press conference detailing the complaint.
The allegations mark a staggering rift between the two artists. Shiesty famously inked a deal with Gucci Mane’s 1017 Records in 2020, skyrocketing to mainstream stardom shortly afterward with his platinum-selling Shiesty Season mixtape. As of now, representatives for neither rapper have issued a public statement regarding the incident.
This latest arrest arrives just months after Shiesty was released from federal custody. In 2022, the rapper was handed a five-year sentence after pleading guilty to a firearms conspiracy charge stemming from a 2020 hotel shooting in Florida. After serving three years, he was released this past October and was meant to be serving out a period of home detention. Despite his ongoing legal hurdles, his recent comeback track, "FDO," debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.