Cage the Elephant’s Matt Shultz Takes Plea Deal in Gun Case

Allowing him to avoid jail time

Cage the Elephant lead singer Matt Shultz has taken a no-jail plea deal after being arrested with two loaded guns in January.

According to The New York Post, Shultz pleaded guilty to three charges of attempted criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, and criminal possession of a weapon in exchange for avoiding jail time.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Cori Weston explained to Shultz on Friday that he must “stay out of trouble for one year” and show up for all his court dates under the terms of the deal. Then, he can withdraw the guilty pleas for the two felony counts and receive a one-year conditional release for a misdemeanor charge.

However, if Shultz doesn’t follow the terms, he will face up to seven years behind bars.

Shultz was arrested at New York City’s Bowery Hotel on January 5th, one day after an employee allegedly spotted him carrying a handgun into a ground floor public bathroom. Prosecutors claim Shultz appeared intoxicated and that when police appeared at his hotel room, they found two guns and 11 Polaroid photos of the weapons.

Following the arrest, Shultz’s lawyer Sanford Talkin told a judge that the guns were purchased legally and registered to him — just not in New York.