Baton Rouge native and rap superstar, NBA Youngboy, has once again made headlines, this time for his recent arrest in Cache County, Utah. The 24-year-old, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, was taken into custody on Tuesday evening, April 16, around 6:30 p.m. The arrest comes as Youngboy was serving strict house arrest in Utah during ongoing legal proceedings stemming from a pair of arrests during a music video shoot in 2020.
According to jail records from the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, Youngboy faces a slew of charges, including pattern of unlawful activity, procuring or attempting to procure drug/prescription, identity fraud, forgery, possession of other controlled substances, and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person.
Youngboy's legal troubles have been ongoing. He is currently awaiting trial for federal gun charges, which were paused in March pending the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Second Amendment rights this spring. The rapper was indicted in March 2021 after allegedly being found with two guns during a September 2020 incident in Baton Rouge. Sixteen people were arrested on drug and firearm charges during the music video shoot in an abandoned lot.
In July 2022, a federal jury in Los Angeles found Youngboy not guilty of “knowingly” possessing a firearm during an arrest following a brief foot chase in California. Despite this legal victory, Youngboy has been serving house arrest in Utah, under the surveillance of a security firm staffed by military veterans.
Last December, a federal judge lessened the conditions of his house arrest to allow Youngboy access to mental health treatments. However, the judge denied him more time in the recording studio, despite arguments that his record sales have suffered due to his lockdown.
The recent arrest adds to the legal woes of the young rapper, whose career has been marked by both musical success and legal challenges. It remains to be seen how this latest development will impact his future and ongoing legal battles.
