LOGAN, Utah — A rapper from Louisiana has admitted to his involvement in a significant prescription drug fraud operation that was based at his luxury home in Utah. Kentrell Gaulden, who is better known by his stage name NBA YoungBoy, entered the Logan courthouse on Monday looking somber as he pled guilty in connection to this case, as reported by KTVX-TV.
At 25 years old, Gaulden faced 46 charges in the Logan District Court concerning the alleged fraudulent activities. During the hearing, he accepted guilt for two counts each of third-degree felony identity fraud and third-degree felony forgery, as well as six misdemeanor counts of unlawful conduct with a pharmacy. Additionally, he submitted a “no contest” plea for the remaining accusations.
In exchange for his plea, Gaulden will avoid prison time in Utah. His four felony charges will instead be classified as Class A Misdemeanors, accompanied by a requirement to pay a $25,000 fine, according to the local television station.
District Judge Spencer Walsh decided to suspend Gaulden’s prison sentence, noting that the rapper is anticipated to spend a substantial 27 months in federal prison due to related charges from a different case linked to Weber County, Utah. Once he completes his time in federal prison, Gaulden will be placed under federal supervised probation for a period of five years.
“This case is somewhat unusual, as multiple jurisdictions are involved, both federally and at the state level,” remarked state prosecutor Ronnie Keller. “This is really just a minor part of a larger pursuit of justice.”
Having previously been involved in a shooting incident in Miami in 2019, Gaulden had been under house arrest in Utah. His move to Utah followed a 2021 agreement where his legal team contended that relocating would help keep him out of trouble.
During the court session, Judge Walsh acknowledged Gaulden’s talent and potential. “I’ve seen many young individuals with immense talent who unfortunately lose that potential when they struggle with addiction issues,” he stated. “I want to prevent that from happening to you.” He continued by expressing confidence that Gaulden could achieve success after completing his prison sentence, helping him to realize his full potential.
Gaulden, hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is also recognized as YoungBoy Never Broke Again. He has made a remarkable impact in the music industry, scoring four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and achieving a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Some of his notable tracks include “38 Baby,” “Outside Today,” and “Wusyaname,” a collaboration with Tyler, The Creator and Ty Dolla $ign, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2022.
In terms of streaming popularity, Billboard noted that only pop sensation Taylor Swift and rapper Drake had more streams than Gaulden in 2022, even with him having minimal radio play. According to Spotify statistics, he enjoys over 16 million monthly listeners.