Local

Same day Atlanta rapper's murder charge is dropped, he's tied to Airbnb robbery

Yung Bans, whose legal name is Vas Coleman

ATLANTA — An Atlanta rapper is no longer under house arrest after pleading guilty Monday to a burglary charge in a 2015 case while avoiding a murder conviction.

However, the same day, his name was brought up several times in court for his alleged connection to an unrelated armed robbery case at an Airbnb in southeast Atlanta that also involved two Life University lacrosse players.

[READ MORE: Two college lacrosse players among 3 suspects charged in brutal home invasion]

Yung Bans, whose legal name is Vas Coleman, was mentioned in Monday's bond hearing for Lyndsey Kallish, 19, and Lauren Rielly, 20. The two women are accused of driving two masked men Nov. 8 to rob seven people at an Airbnb on Wylie Street. They were both denied bond, AJC.com previously reported.

"An individual by the name of Vas Coleman has also been mentioned in this case," Rielly's attorney, Kevin G. Ryan, said in court.

Ryan mentioned that Coleman, 20, and Maxx Pritchett, 23, who is charged as one of the masked men in the Airbnb robbery, were both suspects in the 2015 homicide case of Jose Raman Green, 51. The man died after jumping from a third-floor balcony to escape intruders on Dec. 8, 2015, AJC.com previously reported.

They pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary charges, receiving probation sentences while avoiding murder convictions in connection with Green's death, court records show.

Pritchett and Coleman were the getaway drivers while three other men tried to kick in Green's Oak Street apartment door, according to court records.

TRENDING STORIES:

Mark Spencer and Lil' Che Stafford were both convicted of felony murder and burglary, receiving life sentences. The fifth suspect, Fredrick Clark, also pleaded guilty to a burglary charge. He received three years of probation since it was his first offense.

In July, Coleman had his bond modified to allow him to have contact with Pritchett while he was confined to his Midtown apartment, court records show. As part of his bond, he was also required to wear an ankle monitor with a 24-hour curfew with exceptions for school. He was also prohibited from touring.

That same month, the rapper released his debut album "Misunderstood," which featured Atlanta rappers Future, Young Thug and Gunna, among others.

When his case ended Monday, he tweeted that he "just got off house arrest," asking his followers where he should perform. His verified Instagram account, which has more than a million followers, was also recently made private, which was something Ryan pointed out in court.

Ryan also mentioned that Coleman "has a relationship with Rielly and possibly her co-defendant (Kallish)." Prosecutors in the case also mentioned Coleman along with Pritchett and Tyrone Robinson, who has outstanding warrants for his alleged role in the Airbnb robbery.  He's accused of being the other masked robber.

During the robbery, two people were pistol-whipped as Pritchett and Robinson combed through the home for cellphones, wallets and Nike shoes, prosecutors said. One of the victims, 23-year-old Vik Gattani, suffered a fractured skull during the incident.

The two women allegedly agreed to be paid by one of the three men to drive Pritchett and Robinson to and from the scene. Rielly is accused of sending a text to one of the men asking to be paid after the crime. After not receiving a response for two hours, she allegedly sent a question mark.

"You are as dangerous to the community as the two guys who went into the house because you could have stopped it and didn't," Judge Todd Ashley told the women in court as he denied their bond.

After the incident, Rielly is accused of sending a text message to Kallish that said, "Why was it so sexy that the boys were like beating people up?" She added that she wanted to have sex with one of the robbers, prosecutors said.

Ashley quoted the texts when he denied their bond, adding that they "should have known better (than to) think it's sexy to see people victimized."

When asked about Coleman's connection to the incident, Atlanta police spokeswoman TaSheena Brown told AJC.com, "The investigation is ongoing, and they have nothing new to release at this time."

Fulton County District Attorney's Office spokesman Chris Hopper said, "Robinson is the only individual with active warrants at this time," adding that the case remains under investigation. He also said Coleman's disposition in the 2015 murder case "has absolutely nothing to do with" the Airbnb robbery investigation.

Kallish and Rielly are listed on Life University's women's lacrosse team roster for 2018-19.

The Marietta-based university previously sent Channel 2 Action News a statement after their arrest that said, in part: "Life University is aware of the arrests and ongoing investigation involving two of our students, and we understand the serious nature of the incident."

Kallish and Rielly face 18 charges, while Pritchett faces 20, Fulton County jail records show. Pritchett has yet to make his first court appearance.

The active warrants against Robinson include home invasion, armed robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and simple battery, the DA's Office said.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts are asked to contact CrimeStoppers or Atlanta police.

This article was written by Zachary Hansen, with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.