Gunna may have to spend his time in jail until next year.
A Fulton County judge has denied Atlanta rapper bond for a RICO charge at an arraignment hearing Monday morning. Gunna, real name Sergio Kitchens, was booked into a jail in Atlanta on May 11 as part of indictment on RICO charges that also named 27 other people, including the head of the YSL crew, Young Thug.
On a Zoom video in court, Gunna pleaded not guilty to one charge of violating Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. The prosecution argued that Gunna was “not just an associate” of the group, saying that he was a “documented gang member” who was “one of the bosses” and was in a “command position” in the group who “direct their troops into combat.”
The Fulton County judge denied bond, saying that he was concerned about the possible “danger to witnesses and other folks tied to this” aka witness tampering. He set Gunna’s trial date for Jan. 9, 2023 but said he may consider bond for good cause at a later date.
The judge will decide on Thug’s bond on June 2nd as he is resolving an issue regarding a “conflict of interest,” which prosecutors raised during the hearing, reports Fox10.
In a statement, Gunna’s attorney Steven Sadow told Billboard: “The court was obviously concerned about threats and intimidation of witnesses. We believe when the court hears evidence, not just the words of the prosecutor, it will find that Sergio’s release on bond will not, directly or indirectly, pose a significant risk to witnesses. We look forward to having an evidentiary hearing on this as soon as the court permits.”
