YFN Lucci, the Atlanta rapper whose legal name is Rayshawn Lamar Bennett, first went to jail on January 13, 2021, when he surrendered to the Fulton County Jail on a murder warrant tied to a December 2020 drive-by shooting.1Rolling Stone. YFN Lucci Wanted on Murder Charge in Atlanta He posted bond soon after, but a sweeping racketeering indictment in May 2021 put him back behind bars, where he stayed until a guilty plea in January 2024 and a parole release on January 31, 2025.2People. Rapper YFN Lucci Released From Prison Early In total, he spent close to four years in custody.
The Shooting That Started It
The case began on December 10, 2020. Around 5:20 p.m., a drive-by shooting in southwest Atlanta left 28-year-old James Adams with a fatal gunshot wound to the face and a second man, 32-year-old Kevin Wright, wounded in the abdomen.3CNN. YFN Lucci in Custody on Murder Charge in Atlanta4Atlanta Journal-Constitution Homicide Tracker. James Adams5Variety. YFN Lucci Wanted on Murder Charge Police alleged Bennett drove the vehicle.6FOX 5 Atlanta. Rapper YFN Lucci Guilty Plea Gang Charge Fulton County
Two other suspects, Ra’von Boyd and Leroy Pitts, were arrested before Bennett turned himself in. After the Atlanta Police Department issued the warrant, authorities offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his capture. He surrendered the next day. The initial charges included felony murder, aggravated assault, participation in criminal street gang activity, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Brief Bond Release, Then Back in Custody
A judge set bond at $500,000. Bennett was released with conditions requiring him to surrender his passport and wear a GPS ankle monitor.7Billboard. YFN Lucci Released on Bond With Strict Conditions His defense attorney, Drew Findling, argued there was “no basis” for the murder charge.
That freedom did not last. In May 2021, a Fulton County grand jury returned an indictment charging Bennett and 12 other defendants on a combined 105 counts, including racketeering under Georgia’s RICO statute, violations of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, felony murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery, and weapons offenses.8XXL. YFN Lucci Pleads Guilty in Racketeering Case Prosecutors alleged the defendants were members of subgroups of the national Bloods gang and that a subgroup known as YFN was “centered around” Bennett, with his recording studio on West Peachtree Street described as “a central point for the group and a notorious stronghold.”6FOX 5 Atlanta. Rapper YFN Lucci Guilty Plea Gang Charge Fulton County He was re-arrested and stayed in custody from that point forward.9Vibe. YFN Lucci Released From Prison Placed on Parole
The 2024 Plea Deal
On January 23, 2024, after nearly three years awaiting trial, Bennett pleaded guilty to a single count of violating Georgia’s Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. Twelve of the 13 counts against him, including the murder and RICO charges, were dismissed.10Billboard. YFN Lucci Pleads Guilty to Gang Charge
The negotiated sentence was 20 years total: 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation. He received credit for the roughly three years already served since his January 2021 surrender, which made him eligible for parole within months.11Revolt. YFN Lucci Sentenced to 10 Years After Pleading Guilty The state agreed to write a letter to the pardon and parole board saying it would not object to early release. In return, Bennett agreed not to cooperate in any other legal cases.
Release and Parole Terms
Bennett walked out of the Burruss Correctional Training Center in Georgia on the morning of January 31, 2025.12WALB. Rapper YFN Lucci Released From Prison Record Label Says His attorneys confirmed the early release was on parole. He is scheduled to remain on parole through January 2031, with the 10 years of probation from the plea deal to follow.13FOX 5 Atlanta. Atlanta Rapper YFN Lucci Announces Homecoming Concert at State Farm Arena
Not the Same Case as YSL
Bennett’s prosecution is often confused with the Young Slime Life RICO case, but the two are separate. The YSL case, filed in May 2022, named 28 defendants including Young Thug (Jeffery Williams) and Gunna (Sergio Kitchens).14FOX 5 Atlanta. YSL RICO Case What Happens Now for Other Defendants Bennett was not one of them. His indictment involved a different group of co-defendants alleged to belong to the YFN subgroup of the Bloods.