No, Young Buck is not in jail. The Nashville rapper, whose legal name is David Darnell Brown, accepted a plea deal on January 8, 2026, in Sumner County, Tennessee, and was sentenced to eight years to be served through community corrections rather than in prison.1Hot 97. Young Buck Sentenced to 8 Years in Tennessee, Won’t Do Prison Time He did serve 30 days in jail in the spring of 2025 for violating the terms of his bond, but he is not incarcerated now.
What He Pleaded to and the Sentence He Received
Brown pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon after being convicted of a felony.2WSMV. Rapper Young Buck Sentenced in TN After Trial Was Delayed A Sumner County judge imposed an eight-year sentence with 30 percent suspended, and the remainder is to be served on community corrections.1Hot 97. Young Buck Sentenced to 8 Years in Tennessee, Won’t Do Prison Time He received pretrial credit for the 30 days he had already served in 2025.3WKRN. Young Buck Plea Deal
Community corrections is a supervised alternative to incarceration. Brown stays in the community under monitoring instead of serving the balance behind bars, which is why the plea is being described as avoiding prison time.
Under Tennessee law, firearm possession by someone with a prior violent felony is a Class B felony; possession after a drug felony is Class C; and general handgun possession by a convicted felon who has not had rights restored is a Class E felony.4Justia. Tennessee Code § 39-17-1307
Conditions He Has to Follow
The deal is not unconditional, and a violation can land him in confinement. Brown must report to Sumner County Community Corrections, complete an alcohol and drug assessment within 60 days, and comply with the court’s monitoring and reporting obligations. He is barred from any violent contact with Lucresia Neal, the woman at the center of the original case. He also forfeits all seized property, including the weapon involved.3WKRN. Young Buck Plea Deal If he violates any of those conditions, the court can impose further penalties up to and including incarceration.1Hot 97. Young Buck Sentenced to 8 Years in Tennessee, Won’t Do Prison Time
The 2020 Incident Behind the Charges
The case started with a domestic dispute in October 2020 at the Hendersonville, Tennessee, home Brown shared with Neal. According to police, the two argued over social media passwords, Brown allegedly flipped a glass table and grabbed Neal, and Neal retrieved a firearm from a safe and fired a shot into the ground. Brown then got into his truck; when Neal went to the garage, he allegedly revved the engine and drove toward her, and she fired additional shots at the vehicle.5XXL Magazine. Young Buck Arrested for Domestic Assault, Vandalism Over $10,000
Neal was arrested on October 20, 2020, and charged with reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon because the shots were fired in a densely populated neighborhood. She was released on a $3,500 bond.6The Tennessean. Rapper Young Buck Charged With Domestic Violence in Sumner County Brown was arrested two days later and charged with domestic assault, vandalism over $10,000, and unlawful possession of a weapon, with bond set at $60,000. The vandalism count covered two destroyed televisions, paint thrown across multiple rooms, and shattered glass and crystal. The weapons count flowed from the firearms accessible in the home, which Brown, as a convicted felon, could not legally possess.5XXL Magazine. Young Buck Arrested for Domestic Assault, Vandalism Over $10,000
By the time trial approached, three counts of violating an order of protection had been added. A July 2024 trial date was pushed to January 12, 2026, after his defense attorney cited health grounds.7WKRN. Young Buck Trial Delayed The plea agreement resolved the case days before that trial was set to begin.
The 30 Days He Did Serve in 2025
Being out on bond came with a condition Brown repeatedly failed to meet: twice-monthly meetings with a bond supervisor. Sumner County Assistant District Attorney Eric Mauldin said he missed those meetings repeatedly.8Billboard. Young Buck Sentenced to Jail for Violations of Bond Supervision On April 7, 2025, a Sumner County Criminal Court judge revoked his bond and ordered 30 days in jail.9Complex. Young Buck Arrested for Missed Bond Meetings He served that sentence from April 7 through May 7, 2025, and received credit for it against the 2026 sentence.3WKRN. Young Buck Plea Deal
Why a Felon-in-Possession Charge Was on the Table
The weapons count he pleaded to exists because of a conviction from more than two decades ago. On November 15, 2004, during a taping of the Vibe Awards in Santa Monica, California, Brown stabbed Jimmy James Johnson after Johnson punched Dr. Dre. He was initially charged with assault and attempted murder, pleaded no contest to a felony count of assault likely to produce great bodily harm, and on December 12, 2005, was sentenced to three years of probation and 80 hours of community service.10Billboard. Young Buck Gets Probation in Vibe Stabbing11Los Angeles Times. Rapper Young Buck Sentenced in Vibe Awards Stabbing That felony has made it illegal for him to possess firearms or ammunition ever since.
The same prohibition drove his federal case in 2010, when IRS agents raiding his Nashville home over a tax debt reportedly exceeding $300,000 found a loaded .40 caliber Glock 22.12XXL Magazine. Young Buck Heading to Prison on Gun Possession Charges13U.S. Department of Justice. Rapper Young Buck Sentenced to Seven Months in Prison for Violating Conditions of Supervised Release14WKRN. Young Buck Is Headed Back to Prison for 7 Months
As of early 2026, Brown is out of custody and serving his eight-year community corrections sentence in Sumner County. His freedom depends on staying compliant with the terms of that sentence; a violation can still send him back.