Rapper Mystikal, born Michael Tyler, has pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in a Louisiana court, reducing his potential sentence from life imprisonment. The plea stems from a 2022 arrest involving more serious charges. Sentencing is set for June.
Mystikal, a 55-year-old rapper whose real name is Michael Tyler, entered a guilty plea to third-degree rape in Ascension Parish court, Louisiana. This plea, reported by The Guardian, follows his 2022 arrest on charges including first-degree rape, simple robbery, domestic-abuse battery, and false imprisonment. Initially, Tyler pleaded not guilty, with a trial scheduled for March 30. The plea deal lowers his maximum sentence to 20 years, compared to an automatic life term for first-degree rape. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June. Legal representatives for Tyler did not respond to requests for comment from Rolling Stone. The incident occurred on July 30, 2022, when a female acquaintance visited Tyler's home to discuss a financial agreement. During an August hearing, Sheriff's Detective Garrett Keith testified that the woman reported Tyler becoming violent and sexually assaulting her, holding her against her will. Tyler has remained in custody without bond since his arrest, citing his prior criminal record. He is a lifetime registered sex offender, having been convicted in 2003 of sexual battery for assaulting his hairstylist, serving six years in prison until 2010. In 2017, he faced charges of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping in another case, spending nearly 18 months in jail before posting a $3 million bond; those charges were dismissed by a grand jury in December 2020 due to additional evidence.