NBA YoungBoy ‘not guilty,' attorneys say following arrest of 16 on drug, gun charges

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Police say a total of 16 people were arrested on drug and firearm charges in Baton Rouge on Monday, Sept. 28.

Among them was chart-topping rapper, NBA YoungBoy, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden.

Gaulden faces drug possession, drug distribution, felon in possession of a firearm, and stolen firearms charges. Police say all 16 face similar variations of the same charges.

“Kentrell is not guilty of any crimes," the rapper’s attorney, James Manasseh, said in a statement released Tuesday, Sept. 29. "There’s nothing in the report that indicates that he did anything wrong. They arrested several people and there was no indication that he had any guns or drugs on him at the time of the arrest. I ultimately believe he will be found innocent in all of this.”

Earlier this month, the rapper’s sophomore album, Top, earned the No.1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart.

In December of 2019, a court-approved music video caused issues with the rapper’s lease, and a judge terminated his probation so he could relocate out of the state.

The Baton Rouge Police Department says along with the FBI, it received tips from an anonymous source about a group of people brandishing guns at an abandoned lot in the 3800 block of Chippewa Street around 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28. When officials arrived, multiple people reportedly ran from the scene while some were detained for questioning.

During the incident, officers say they confiscated drugs, guns, and a large amount of cash. In total, 16 people were arrested, 14 guns were seized (one stolen and two with illegal stocks), and $79,000 in cash was also collected.

“We have consistently said that we can’t do this alone. We need help from the community to solve crimes. When you see something, say something. This is another example of our citizens getting involved and calling us when they witness suspicious activity. Thank you for your help Baton Rouge. Keep talking. We will never stop listening!” said BRPD Chief Murphy Paul.

In addition to NBA YoungBoy, the following people were arrested:

• Marrow Battie
• Charles Brown
• Daryl Brown
• Joshua Butler
• Kendrick Edwards
• Cleveland Ely
• Anthony Grayer
• Jalen Griffin
• Nathan Hayes
• Dionel Jacob
• Dalton Quiett
• Marvin Ramsey
• Joseph Robinson
• Deonte Smart
• Tyler Taylor

Click here to report a typo.

Copyright 2020 WAFB. All rights reserved.