Key Takeaways
- Mystikal was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree rape in connection with a 2022 case in Louisiana.
- Prosecutors dropped nine additional charges, and the plea agreement capped his sentence below the maximum penalty.
- The rapper previously served six years for sexual battery in 2003 and had separate 2017 rape and kidnapping charges dismissed due to lack of evidence.
Mystikal has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in connection to the 2022 rape of a woman at his Louisiana home.
On Tuesday (June 16), the “Here I Go” artist, born Michael Lawrence Tyler, was sentenced for third-degree rape. It’s a lesser charge than the first-degree rape count he initially faced, which notably carries an automatic life sentence.
According to WBRZ, the Grammy-nominated artist’s victim told the judge he “choked her, pulled braids out of her hair, and forcibly raped her.” While recounting details of the rape, she asked that he be given the maximum sentence allowed, to which he reportedly responded, “If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence.”
It’s worth noting that his guilty plea in March capped his sentence at 20 years, just five years shy of the maximum punishment for the crime. He will also be credited for time served.
The 2022 allegations that preceded Mystikal’s guilty plea
In an August 2022 press release, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office said officers went to a hospital on July 30 around 11:58 p.m. after receiving a report of a sexual assault. Detectives then spoke with the victim, who “sustained minor injuries during the attack,” before identifying Mystikal as the suspect.
He was later arrested and booked on multiple charges, including simple robbery, domestic abuse battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, and simple criminal damage to property. In March, prosecutors decided not to pursue the musician’s non-rape charges — nine in total — filing nolle prosequi on each of them.
Mystikal already had a previous record. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to sexual battery and served six years in prison. That same year, Tarantula was nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards, while “Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against The Wall)” was up for Best Male Rap Solo Performance. Then, in 2017, he was indicted on rape and kidnapping charges, though they were later dropped due to lack of evidence.
Why Mystikal tried to withdraw his guilty plea days before sentencing
Per WBRZ, Mystikal attempted to withdraw his guilty plea last Friday (June 12). He claimed that he was “under significant emotional distress and felt substantial pressure to make an immediate decision.” The motion was ultimately dismissed.