NBA YoungBoy and the Law: The Latest in a Long Line of Legal Troubles

By: Curtis Roselle

Edited by: Avigna Ramachandran and william liu

Prescription Drug Fraud Case

Despite his success as a musical artist, rapper NBA YoungBoy has had more than his fair share of run-ins with the law. Most recently, the 25-year-old artist, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, faced 46 charges for his role in a large-scale prescription drug fraud ring that involved impersonating a doctor to fill prescriptions for promethazine with codeine, an addictive opioid coformulation. Gaulden pled guilty to two counts of third-degree felony identity fraud, two counts of third-degree felony forgery, and six counts of misdemeanor unlawful pharmacy conduct. He opted to enter a “no contest” plea for the remainder of the charges. Although he pleaded guilty to four of the felony charges, he did not face prison time and was only required to pay a $25,000 fine instead. [1] However, this outcome does not imply that Gaulden is free to go. 

Firearms Case

Prior to his arrest in April 2024 for the aforementioned drug fraud ring, Gaulden was already awaiting trial for a federal firearms case stemming from an arrest in 2021. [2] Shortly after Gaulden’s sentencing in the prescription drug case, a federal judge imposed a 23-month prison sentence for the rapper’s involvement in the firearms case. Gaulden was caught with a Glock 21 .45-caliber pistol and a Masterpiece Arms MPA30T 9mm handgun while filming a music video in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He also admitted to possessing a Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic pistol at his home in Huntsville, Utah. [3] In light of his conviction for a firearm-related aggravated assault in 2017, Gaulden was not permitted to have access to them. In addition to serving prison time, Gaulden will be under supervised probation for five years and must pay an additional $25,000 fine. [4]

Legal Outcome and Reactions

When considering Gaulden’s maximum prison sentences in both legal proceedings—10 years for the Louisiana firearms case and 15 years for the Utah prescription drug fraud case—Gaulden was fortunate to receive relatively lenient punishments. [5] Gauldens legal team worked diligently to reach a deal, stating, “This has been a long road that involved extensive litigation and ultimately extensive negotiation.” Gaulden’s legal team is optimistic about the result of the Utah case, noting they are “very happy for Kentrell and look forward to his many future successes.” [6] While the sentence was intended to conclude in December 2025, Gaulden will be released on July 27, 2025, receiving credit for time served. [7] Upon his release, Gaulden seeks to continue making music, as encouraged by Spencer Walsh, the judge who sentenced him. Walsh said to Gaulden, “I’ve seen so many times where you have young men and women who have a lot of talent and potential. They can be robbed of that potential when they start to really struggle with their addictions,” adding, “I don’t want that for you.” [8] After evading harsh sentences, only time will tell if Gaulden will take advantage of this second chance. Hopefully the next few months will be enough time for Gaulden to both reflect on his actions and gain the desire to make a true lifestyle change. With this case being far from Gaulden’s first conflict with the law, the amount of leniency that he has been shown is unprecedented. If Gaulden can take advantage of what may be his final chance to become a law-abiding citizen before the book is thrown at him, this case will serve as a prime example of the efficiency and effectiveness of rehabilitation over incarceration.

Notes:

1. Associated Press, "Rapper NBA YoungBoy Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charge in Utah," AP News, September 6, 2024.

2. Taijuan Moorman, "NBA YoungBoy Pleads Guilty in Utah Prescription Drug Case," USA Today, November 19, 2024.

3. The Guardian, "NBA YoungBoy Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charge," August 20, 2024.

4. Ethan Shanfield, "NBA YoungBoy Arrested in Utah on Gun and Drug Charges," Variety, 2024.

5. The Salt Lake Tribune, "NBA YoungBoy Sentenced in Federal Gun Case," December 13, 2024.

6. The Guardian, "Rapper NBA YoungBoy Sentenced to Prison in Federal Gun Case," December 11, 2024.

7. Peter Aitken, "NBA YoungBoy's Prison Release Date Revealed in Plea Deal," Newsweek, 2024.

8. ABC4, "NBA YoungBoy Pleads Guilty to Drug Fraud Charge in Utah," 2024.

Bibliography:

ABC4. "NBA YoungBoy Pleads Guilty to Drug Fraud Charge in Utah." ABC4, 2024. https://abc4.com/news/local-news/nba-youngboy-pleads-guilty-drug-fraud.

Aitken, Peter. "NBA YoungBoy's Prison Release Date Revealed in Plea Deal." Newsweek, 2024. https://newsweek.com/rapper-nba-youngboy-prison-release-date-plea-deal-2013571.

Associated Press. "Rapper NBA YoungBoy Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charge in Utah." AP News, September 6, 2024. https://apnews.com/article/nba-youngboy-gaulden-guilty-plea-utah-929ba3f0ff2a4efa9e1ce48c6fec6542.

Moorman, Taijuan. "NBA YoungBoy Pleads Guilty in Utah Prescription Drug Case." USA Today, November 19, 2024. https://usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/11/19/nba-youngboy-guilty-utah-prescription-drug.

Shanfield, Ethan. "NBA YoungBoy Arrested in Utah on Gun and Drug Charges." Variety, 2024. https://variety.com/2024/music/news/nba-youngboy-arrested-utah-gun-drug-charges-1235973951.

The Guardian. "NBA YoungBoy Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charge." The Guardian, August 20, 2024. https://theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/aug/20/rapper-nba-youngboy-pleads-guilty-gun-charge.

The Guardian. "Rapper NBA YoungBoy Sentenced to Prison in Federal Gun Case." The Guardian, December 11, 2024. https://theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/11/rapper-nba-youngboy-prison-sentence.

The Salt Lake Tribune. "NBA YoungBoy Sentenced in Federal Gun Case." The Salt Lake Tribune, December 13, 2024.https://sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2024/12/13/nba-youngboy-sentenced-federal-gun.