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Mystikal has become loud The Guardian pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree rape. In 2022, the rapper was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree rape, simple robbery, domestic assault and false imprisonment. At that time, the 55-year-old pleaded not guilty; the trial was scheduled to begin on March 30th.
The new guilty plea was entered in Ascension Parish court in Louisiana as part of a deal that significantly reduces the possible sentence. While the original first-degree rape charge would have carried an automatic life sentence, Mystikal, real name Michael Tyler, now faces up to 20 years in prison for a third-degree rape conviction. The verdict is scheduled for June.
Tyler’s legal representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ROLLING STONE.
2022 allegations
In 2022, a woman alleged that Tyler sexually abused her and held her against her will. At a hearing in August of that year, Detective Garrett Keith of the Sheriff’s Office testified that a female acquaintance of Tyler’s had visited his home on the evening of July 30 to discuss an alleged financial arrangement. Keith described that the woman reported an abrupt change in Tyler’s mood: he became violent and then sexually abused her. Since his arrest, Tyler has been held in custody without the possibility of bail due to his criminal record.
Tyler is registered as a sex offender for life. In 2003 he was convicted of sexually assaulting his hairdresser and served six years in prison before being released in 2010. Seven years later, he was faced with another sexual offense – this time also with charges of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping. Tyler spent almost 18 months in custody before posting bail of $3 million. The charges were ultimately dropped by a grand jury in December 2020 based on newly surfaced evidence.
