Photo by Marcus Ingram/BET/Getty Images for BET
Mystikal has pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in connection with his 2022 arrest. He appeared in a Louisiana courtroom on Tuesday, March 17, officially entering his plea after prosecutors downgraded the charge from first-degree.
The 55-year-old rapper, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, faced 10 criminal charges, including first-degree assault. USA Today reports a first-degree rape charge can mean life in prison, while a third-degree conviction carries up to 25 years. On July 30, 2022, authorities arrested Mystikal after a woman at the emergency room accused him of rape and battery. The incident also led to nine other charges, including battery and false imprisonment. During his March 17 hearing, prosecutors filed “nolle prosequi” notices, officially dropping those charges and deciding not to pursue them further.
According to PEOPLE, Mystikal now faces up to 20 years in prison. The court set his sentencing date for June 15. The musician. became a lifetime registered sex offender after his 2003 sexual assault conviction, which led to his arrest and charges at the time. After his 2003 battery conviction, he served six years in federal prison and was released in 2010.
The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office announced his arrest in August 2022 after authorities responded to a local hospital about an assault. At the hospital, detectives interviewed the victim, who reportedly suffered minor injuries. The incident reportedly started with a financial dispute at Mystikal’s home. Police ended up searching his home in Prairieville, Louisiana, home and reportedly found evidence supporting the victim’s account.Sheriff’s Detective Garret Keith also told prosecutors that an examination found wounds consistent with rape.
Before his current case, Mystikal served six years in federal prison for a 2003 sexual battery conviction and was released in 2010. In 2017, he faced new charges and spent 18 months in jail before getting released on a $3 million bond.
