American hip-hop artist Pooh Shiesty, born Lontrell Williams Jr., has been taken into custody alongside seven other individuals following coordinated police operations across Dallas, Memphis and Nashville. Law enforcement officials have confirmed that a manhunt is currently underway for a ninth suspect connected to the case.
The Dallas ambush
The arrests stem from what was supposed to be a routine business trip to Texas. Three music industry executives, a group that included the prominent rapper Gucci Mane, travelled to Dallas to finalise a contract.
However, court documents suggest the negotiations took a violent turn. The prosecution alleges that Williams Jr. and his accomplices held one of the victims at gunpoint to coerce a signature on the legal document.
Furthermore, the assailants reportedly stripped the victims of high-value items such as Rolex watches, expensive jewellery and other personal effects. During the ordeal, one individual was allegedly strangled until they nearly lost consciousness.
The suspects
Notably, Williams Jr. was already serving a period of home detention relating to a previous firearms conviction when this new offence supposedly took place.
His father, Lonnie Williams Sr., is also amongst those in custody. The remaining apprehended suspects have been named by authorities as:
- Rodney Wright Jr. (who performs under the moniker «Big30»)
- Kedarius Waters
- Terrance Rodgers
- Damarian Gipson
- Demarcus Glover
- Kordae Johnson
- Darrion McDaniel
Mounting evidence
To connect the group to the extortion plot, investigators have compiled a robust dossier of evidence. The authorities built their case using vehicle rental agreements, CCTV recordings, mobile phone activity, automatic number plate recognition data and fingerprint analysis.
The suspects’ own digital footprints seemingly aided the investigation, as several of the stolen goods were brazenly flaunted on various social media platforms.
Official response
Condemning the severity of the situation, U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould described the ordeal as an attempt to carry out commercial dealings through sheer violence and intimidation.
A massive joint task force led the crackdown, combining the resources of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, local police departments in Dallas and Memphis and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.
At this time, the authorities have not publicised the identities of the victims. Representatives for Pooh Shiesty have yet to offer any official statements regarding the allegations as the investigation continues to unfold.
