Why was Pooh Shiesty imprisoned? Everything to know as Young Thug posts a message to 'Free' him on X

On February 19, 2025, Young Thug shared an X post demanding the release of Memphis rapper, Pooh Shiesty. For context, Shiesty has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison in 2022 in connection to the Florida gun case. It goes back to October 2020 when he got involved in a confrontation outside a hotel in Florida.

The altercation led to a person getting injured after he was shot. According to Rolling Stone, prosecutors claimed the Memphis rapper arrived at the hotel in a rented McLaren to buy marijuana, codeine, and designer sneakers.

They alleged he took a bag of marijuana and looked at the sneakers before pulling out a Draco subcompact weapon and shooting the alleged victim. The incident at the hotel’s parking lot was captured on CCTV.

Footage from the October 8, 2020, incident showed luxury vehicles, including the McLaren sports car and a Mercedes Maybach, pulling into the parking lot on East Bay Harbor Drive. After parking, several men stepped out.

Shortly after, one man in a white shirt held a handgun, while another in a black shirt wielded a larger firearm and began shooting. He was arrested and later released on bail.

Pooh Shiesty was arrested again in June 2021, after being linked to a shooting at a Miami strip club where he was performing. Following this arrest, federal authorities indicted him for the earlier shooting, leading to his bond being revoked.

---

What happened at the Miami club where Pooh Shiesty reportedly performed?

Pooh Shiesty turned himself in to authorities following a shooting at the King of Diamonds strip club in Miami on May 30, 2021. The rapper allegedly shot a security guard in the leg during an incident over Memorial Day weekend.

Video footage surfaced online shortly after, showing him leaving the venue while appearing to tuck a firearm into his waistband. His attorney, Bradford Cohen, confirmed that Shiesty voluntarily surrendered to police.

According to witnesses, the altercation began when security escorted him out of the club. The security manager told police that the dispute erupted after money fell out of the rapper’s pocket.

---

Meanwhile, Pooh Shiesty was pleased with the judge’s decision in Miami Federal Court, as it aligned with the plea deal he had made with prosecutors, allowing for a sentence of up to just over eight years, according to his lawyer.

Bradford Cohen shared that the rapper appreciated that the judge considered their argument and was satisfied with the outcome. Shiesty admitted guilt to a firearms conspiracy charge in January 2022.

During his sentencing, his lawyer argued that he didn’t fire the weapon during the failed drug deal outside a Florida hotel in 2020 and denied claims that he planned a robbery. The defense stated Pooh Shiesty was only trying to buy a small amount of liquid codeine for personal use.

His lawyer also questioned why someone with millions in assets and a luxury car would risk everything over a minor drug purchase, calling the robbery theory illogical.