YNW Bortlen has agreed to a plea deal in the double murder case involving the deaths of two of his friends, Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. and Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams.
This deal came just one day before his trial was set to begin. Bortlen had been facing two counts of first-degree murder and charges of helping cover up the crime.
With the plea deal, Bortlen no longer faces life in prison. Instead, he will serve 10 years in prison and then 6 years of probation. He pleaded no contest to charges related to helping after the murders and tampering with a witness in another case. In return, the murder charges against him were dropped, and he agreed to help prosecutors with any future investigations.
John M. Phillips, an attorney for Sakchaser’s family, shared his thoughts on social media, saying Bortlen “took the plea deal” and is now cooperating with authorities, including agreeing to give a deposition in a civil case tied to the murders.
Bortlen was charged alongside his co-defendant, YNW Melly, who is still waiting for his retrial after his first trial ended in a mistrial in 2023. Melly is accused of the same two murders, and he’s also dealing with a criminal investigation into one of his lawyers. His retrial is set for January 2027, but for now, he’s in jail and has raised concerns about how he’s being treated.
Bortlen’s decision to cooperate could affect Melly’s case as the legal battle continues.
