Rapper Young Thug pleaded guilty Thursday to multiple drug, gang and gun charges despite not reaching a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to up to 40 years in prison.

The rapper, whose name is Jeffery Williams, was indicted two years ago along with nearly two dozen other people. Central to the indictment were allegations that all defendants conspired to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law.

Young Thug pleaded guilty to three drug charges, one gang charge and two gun charges and pleaded no contest to racketeering and another gang charge. according to the Associated Press.

Lead prosecutor Adriane Love recommended a total sentence of 45 years in prison, with 25 years in prison and 20 years on probation. But Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker sentenced him to 40 years. However, only the first five were to be executed in prison and were commuted during execution.

Whitaker also sentenced him to 15 years of probation. If he violates his parole, he would be sentenced to an additional 20 years in prison. However, if he does not violate his probation, the 20 years will be commuted to time served.

The 33-year-old rapper was also ordered not to return to the Atlanta area during the first 10 years of probation unless it is for weddings, funerals, graduations or serious illnesses of family members. But he was also told to return to Atlanta four times a year for a live anti-gang and anti-gun violence presentation at a school or community organization that serves children.

Whitaker also ordered him to perform 100 hours of community service for each year of parole.

Love outlined the arguments and evidence he would have brought to convict the 33-year-old rapper, which includes some of his rap lyrics. Young Thug’s lawyers argued that the evidence in the case was weak and that using the rapper’s lyrics against him was “offensive.”

Young Thug’s lead attorney, Brian Steel, maintained that his client was innocent, but did not want to go through the pain of a longer trial.

“He said, ‘I can’t wait another three months if there’s any way I can go home because I have kids who are hurting me. I have things to do,” Steel said.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow X for more coverage.