Atlanta rapper Young Thug is now facing additional charges as he awaits his January 2023 RICO trial.
Thugger, born Jeffrey Williams, has now been charged with street racing, reckless driving and speeding by the Atlanta District Attorney’s office, WSB-TV reports. The misdemeanor charges stem from a May incident that took place just prior to his arrest, as he was allegedly driving a vehicle at 120 mph on Interstate 85.
Williams’ attorney, Brian Steel, has said his client is innocent of the charges.
“As of two weeks ago, that case was being resolved with a seatbelt violation,” Steel said in a statement. “Today, now it’s indicted in the Fulton County Superior Court. He is being wronged by our system.”
Thug and fellow artist Gunna are currently behind bars awaiting trial in their “Young Stoner Life” (YSL) racketeering case, as the two and 26 others were involved in the 56-count indictment that took place May 9 and have been locked up ever since.
Additional charges were brought up against Thug in August, including “gang” charges, drug charges, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a machine gun.
Last month, the rapper’s legal team filed a motion requesting the dismissal of his RICO case, alleging that the DA’s Office of Fulton County “abused its authority by utilizing a sham Grand Jury Subpoena” to obtain info regarding Williams’ suspected involvement in the 2015 murder of Donavan “Big Nut” Thomas.
Young Thug’s lawyer finds proof that the State illegally acquired evidence about him renting the car in BigNut’s shooting and files a motion to dismiss the case or suppress all evidence derived from it. pic.twitter.com/XJTGADJkxO
— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) November 5, 2022
“He’s committed no crime,” Steel told WSB-TV of his client in a recent statement. “And Mr. Williams will do whatever he has to do and has done a great deal to try to have non-violence in our community. Mr. Williams is not the head of any criminal street gang, he’s not involved in any type of criminal activity that involves any type of violence.”
The trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 5.