Pooh Shiesty is set for a February 2027 trial in the bombshell criminal case that alleges he forced Gucci Mane to sign a record deal release at gunpoint.
The rapper (Lontrell Williams Jr.) was assigned the trial date in a Friday (June 5) court order obtained by Billboard. He’s set to be tried in Texas federal court alongside eight alleged co-conspirators, including his father, Lontrell Williams Sr., and fellow rapper Big30 (Rodney Wright Jr.).
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Shiesty and his co-defendants were arrested in April and accused of kidnapping and extortion, charges that carry up to life in prison if they’re convicted. The case stems from a January business meeting at a Dallas recording studio over Shiesty’s contract with Mane’s 1017 Records label.
Prosecutors allege that Shiesty and his co-conspirators pulled out guns, barricaded Mane’s team inside a recording studio, and forced Mane to sign paperwork releasing Shiesty from his record deal. The group is also accused of stealing jewelry and other high-value items during the incident.
All the defendants who have been arraigned so far have entered not-guilty pleas. Shiesty’s lawyer, Kent Schaffer, told Billboard, “We’ve been pouring through discovery as it comes in, and we feel very good about our chances. We’re looking forward to freeing Pooh Shiesty.”
Chris Knox, who represents Shiesty’s father, said in a statement, “We disagree with the government’s allegations and representations regarding what happened at the music studio. Indictments are drafted by prosecutors and only tell one side of a story. We are confident that the evidence in this case will show that Lontrell Williams Sr. is not guilty of the offenses with which he has been charged.”
A trial was initially set for this July, but it was pushed to Feb. 22, 2027, after all parties agreed that they needed more time to sift through the evidence and prepare. Some of the defendants, including Williams Sr., have been released on bail in the meantime. Shiesty, however, remains in custody.
Last month, Judge Renée Harris Toliver denied Shiesty’s bail request after hearing testimony from an FBI agent and determining there’s “probable cause to believe that defendant committed the law violations alleged in the criminal complaint.”
The judge also ruled that Shiesty is not to be trusted outside of custody, given that the alleged kidnapping occurred when the rapper was still on house arrest following his October release from prison on previous gun charges.
