Rapper Pooh Shiesty kidnapped and robbed fellow rapper and mentor Gucci Mane in a music studio ambush, federal prosecutors say.

The Department of Justice announced on Thursday that Memphis rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30 planned and executed the “coordinated armed takeover” at a Dallas music studio in January.

According to prosecutors, eight of nine suspects in the incident, including Pooh Shiesty, born Lontrell Williams. Jr., and his father, Lontrell Williams Sr., who’s known around the Memphis music scene as “Mob Boss,” were arrested Wednesday in Nashville and Memphis, Tenn., and Dallas.

Williams Jr. allegedly arranged a “business meeting” with Gucci Mane to discuss the terms of his recording contract. Things took a turn and, according to the Justice Department, Williams Jr. brandished an AK-style pistol and forced one of the victims to sign a release from the recording contract at gunpoint.

Big30, born Rodney Wright Jr., allegedly barricaded the studio door with his body to prevent Gucci Mane and the other victims from escaping.

The other men involved in the ambush also pulled out firearms and robbed the other victims of Rolex watches, jewelry, cash and other high-value items, according to a federal complaint, which also states that one victim was choked nearly to unconsciousness.

In 2020, Gucci Mane, born Radric Davis, signed newcomer Williams Jr. to his record label 1017 Records. Davis came across the “Breaking News” rapper after several of his singles started to gain traction on social media. The rapper’s 2021 breakout hit, “Back in Blood,” climbed the Billboard charts, and Williams Jr. went multiplatinum.

The same year, the rapper received a five-year prison sentence on firearms conspiracy charges out of the Southern District of Florida. In October, Williams Jr. was released early after serving three years on the condition that he would serve home detention.

The “Federal Contraband” hitmaker was still on house arrest in January when the alleged music studio takeover took place. According to the complaint, evidence used to charge the men included electronic monitoring data that placed Williams Jr. at the Dallas studio, which also violates the terms of his home detention conditions.

Other evidence included phone records, records confirming that Williams Sr. rented a car used by the men, surveillance video from the studio, fingerprints recovered from the crime scene matching those of two defendants, records placing some of the men at a nearby hotel after the robbery, and social media posts that pictured some of the charged men with what appeared to be stolen watches and jewelry, prosecutors said.

“These defendants will be transported to the Northern District of Texas to face their crimes,” said D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.

Williams Jr.’s legal representation did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of up to life in prison.

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Movie Name : Biker

Release Date : April 03, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 3.25/5
Starring : Sharwanand, Dr Rajashekhar, Malvika Nair & Others.
Director : Abhilash Reddy
Producers : Vamsi Krishna Reddy, Pramodh Uppalapati
Music Director : Ghibran Vaibodha
Cinematographer : J Yuvraj
Editor :  Anil Pasala

Related Links : Trailer

Sharwanand has now come up with the sports drama Biker. Directed by Abhilash Reddy, the movie stars Rajasekhar in a key role. Let’s see how the film is.

Story:

Vikas Narayan aka Vikky (Sharwanand) is a top-class motocross racer.. Since childhood, he is trained rigorously by his father Sunil Narayan (Rajasekhar). However, Vikky suddenly leaves the sport, putting his father in a tough spot.

Why did Vikky leave racing? How is he connected to Ananya (Malavika Nair)? What is her role in his life? What happened after Vikky left the sport? This forms the crux of the story.

Plus Points:

We have already seen multiple sports dramas in Tollywood, but motocross racing has never been explored before, and that becomes the USP of Biker. Even though a few moments appear familiar, the unexplored territory in Telugu cinema keeps the proceedings engaging, and credit where it’s due.

The sport sequences are superbly shot and choreographed. Some moments truly keep us on the edge of our seats. To make a film on a less popular sport in India by weaving emotional moments around it, the director does a pretty good job in helping the movie connect with the regular audience.

Sharwanand looks in his best shape, and it’s good to see him try his hand at multiple genres. He brings sincerity to his performance as a professional racer and is effective in the emotional segments as well. His scenes with Rajasekhar work well. With Biker, Rajasekhar (Angry Man) reaches a new level, playing his part with utmost dignity and elegance.

When veterans play their age and become an integral part of the story instead of trying to outshine others, it’s a pleasure to watch. From here on, Rajasekhar could become the go-to actor for character roles in Telugu cinema. The second half is comparatively more engaging with decent emotional depth. Malavika Nair is fine in her role.

Minus Points:

Biker plays it safe in key moments with familiar tropes, which prevents it from reaching the next level. The vulnerability of the protagonist should have been explored more during the actual racing portions to make it stand apart from regular sports dramas. Some elements feel too easy for the hero to achieve, which takes away from the realism.

Instead of external factors, if the hero had been troubled by his own internal thought process during the racing, the impact could have been much higher. The episodes involving the hero’s sponsorship needed better execution.

The racing scenes are no doubt solid, but the moments leading up to them could have been still better. The conflict point between the lead pair is meaningful, but it is underutilized. The first half is slow at times, and isn’t upto the mark on the whole.

Technical Aspects:

Ghibran’s background score is solid in the thrilling moments, and the sound design is excellent. Cinematographer Yuvraj does a fabulous job in picturizing the racing sequences. The editing is fine in the latter half, but needed improvement in the first half.

The production values are solid. Director Abhilash Reddy takes up a not-so-popular sport and delivers an engaging film with a fair number of good moments. Had he avoided a few clichés, the movie could have reached a whole new level.

Verdict:

On the whole, Biker is an engaging sports drama with a never-before-explored motocross racing backdrop and good performances. The racing scenes are brilliant, and the film is carried by Sharwanand and Rajasekhar with their impressive performances. The first half is slow, and there are a few convenient moments. The use of certain tropes could have been avoided for better impact. Nonetheless, if you enjoy sports dramas, Biker turns out to be a satisfactory watch.

123telugu.com Rating: 3.25/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team