Yungeen Ace’s Firearm Possession Charge Dismissed
Yungeen Ace, the Jacksonville rapper whose real name is Keyanta Bullard, has had his firearm possession charge dismissed. The charge, which stemmed from an April arrest, was dropped after DNA evidence failed to link him to the weapon in question. This development was reported by local Florida news outlet WJAX-TV on July 9, and Duval County court records confirmed the update on July 3.
The rapper had been out of custody since April, despite the charge only being dismissed recently. According to a disposition statement, the charge was dropped because a DNA sample could not connect Bullard to the firearm. The statement read, “E-Traces were completed for the firearms but provided no evidence to associate the firearms with Bullard. Bullard’s phone was recovered, but after review, a search warrant was not sought… Bullard’s DNA was taken pursuant to a search warrant and was compared against the firearms, but FDLE reported that the firearms failed to demonstrate a sufficient amount of DNA for processing.”
Bullard was arrested on April 15 in Jacksonville, Florida, and booked into Duval County Jail. Court records show that he posted a $150,000 bond on April 16. When asked for comment, Yungeen Ace’s lawyer, Christopher DeCoste, told XXL, “We thank the government for agreeing that the only persons in the wrong that day were the cops for making arrests.”
The update in Yungeen Ace’s gun case comes after he made headlines for dissing rapper Foolio twice in a week on his songs “Do It” and “Game Over.” Foolio, Ace’s longtime rival, was shot and killed outside a Holiday Inn in Tampa, Florida, on June 23 while celebrating his 26th birthday. The beef between Yungeen Ace and Foolio dates back several years, reaching a boiling point in 2017 when Foolio’s cousin was shot and killed. Deantrae Thomas, an associate of Yungeen Ace and his ATK crew, was charged with the murder soon after.
Local news reports indicate that officers found seven guns, including a rifle and a Draco, inside the SUV Bullard was riding in. The SUV was pulled over around 8:30 p.m. after the driver failed to stop at a four-way intersection. The driver was quickly arrested for driving without a valid license. The officer then learned that the driver and passenger were documented gang members, prompting a call for backup.
When officers searched the black Chevrolet Suburban, they found seven loaded and chambered guns inside. One officer saw a black rifle in plain view on the floorboard, and a blue bag on the second-row floorboard contained a Draco pistol and a black handgun within reach of Bullard, who was the back middle passenger. Bullard and the other occupants were detained.
The State Attorney’s Office filed a disposition notice last week, saying it was declining to prosecute Bullard on the charge. Prosecutors stated that the charge was dropped because the case wasn’t likely to earn a conviction. They couldn’t establish “intentional control” of the weapons, which is required under Florida law to convict on the charge.
According to the State Attorney’s Office disposition statement, Bullard did not make any incriminating statements, and there wasn’t enough DNA on the firearms to test. Prosecutors said the driver posted a YouTube video claiming the firearms “were possessed by the other occupants of the vehicle.” Based on these facts, the SAO dropped the charge against Bullard.
Bullard is one of Jacksonville’s most notorious rappers and is known for surviving being shot eight times in 2018. His brother and two other men died in the shooting near the St. Johns Town Center, and Bullard was the only survivor. The following year, after performing at a rap concert in Waycross, Georgia, his group was ambushed, resulting in another man’s death.
Reports indicate that Bullard has been living in Houston for the past few years. He has been associated with the Robinson family and the alleged violent drug gang ATK. Other alleged members of ATK, brothers Hakim Robinson (known as rapper Ksoo) and Abdul Robinson Jr., are awaiting trial in murder cases. Their father, Abdul Robinson Sr., the alleged leader of ATK, has pleaded guilty to being an accessory and agreed to testify against his sons.
In the April incident, Bullard was arrested along with Malquis Warthen, a well-known YouTuber who operates a page called “ATKQuiseTV.” Warthen was arrested for driving with a suspended, canceled, or revoked license. The vehicle they were in was pulled over after failing to stop at a four-way stop sign intersection. After everyone exited the vehicle, a black rifle was located in plain view, and a blue bag containing a Draco and a black handgun was also seen.
The State Attorney’s Office dropped charges against Warthen on May 29. The court document stated, “In this case, the State lacks a reasonable probability of conviction. While Bullard was near the firearms, proximity alone is insufficient to establish intentional control. It is reasonable to believe that the occupants of the vehicle will claim ownership and possession of the firearms as Warthen has already done. Bullard made no statements inculpating himself, and there is no forensic evidence to prove control.”
Bullard’s legal troubles have been a recurring theme in his life. In June 2018, he was the lone survivor in a drive-by shooting that killed three young men. After being released from the hospital, he was arrested for violating probation. In 2017, he was given 31 months of probation on an accessory charge out of Clay County. In October 2018, he was arrested again for violating probation.
In March 2019, Bullard’s attorney said he was ambushed, leading to a shooting at the Hampton Inn in Waycross, Georgia, where one man was killed, and another was injured. Bullard was in the area performing a concert.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating whether Bullard was involved in the death of rival Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio, who was shot and killed at a hotel in Tampa while celebrating his 26th birthday. Bullard released a diss track about Foolio’s death hours after the actual murder. Sheriff TK Waters said the agency is aware of the video and is investigating, but Bullard has yet to be officially named a suspect or person of interest in Foolio’s murder.
Source: WJAX-TV, XXL, First Coast News
