On June 16, New Orleans-born rapper-actor Mystikal was sentenced to 20 years in prison for r*ping a woman at his home in Prairieville, 18 miles from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in July 2022.
The sentencing came after Mystikal, 55, pleaded guilty to third-degree r*pe in March 2026. His plea deal reduced his charge from the original first-degree r*pe, which carries a life sentence in the state.
Ahead of the sentencing, the rapper, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, asked the judge to withdraw his plea deal, saying:
“I did not have sufficient opportunity to fully consider the consequences.”
Meanwhile, the victim urged the court to give the maximum sentence to Tyler. Apart from forceful r*pe, she also accused him of domestic violence, including punching, choking, and pulling her braids.
According to CNN affiliate WBRZ, Mystikal responded to the woman by saying:
“If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence.”
It is noteworthy that the former 504 Boyz member has been held without bond at the Ascension Parish Jail since his arrest four years ago.
Exploring Mystikal’s criminal history
In June 2003, Michael Lawrence Tyler and his two bodyguards, Leland “Pokie” Ellis and Vercy “V” Carter, pleaded guilty to s*xual battery and extortion of his hairstylist. The victim accused the trio of forcing her to perform oral s*x on them and then accusing her of stealing $80,000 worth of cheques.
However, in January 2004, a videotape of the incident was found in his home, but was not allowed to be used as evidence during the trial, thus preventing a mandatory life sentence for s*xual battery/ aggravated r*pe in Louisiana.
Tyler was expecting a reduced sentence and five years’ probation. However, the case took a turn when the judge reviewed the videotape and took into account his two prior arrests for gun and drug possession, sentencing the rapper to six years in state prison.
In August 2005, while being incarcerated, the Tarantula hitmaker was charged with two federal misdemeanor counts for failure to file tax returns in 1998 and 1999. The following January, he was convicted of both charges and was sentenced to one year in federal prison, to be served concurrently with his ongoing sentence. Back then, Mystikal was moved to Elayn Hunt Correctional Center. While his legal counsel appealed for parole, it was denied.
The Grammy-nominated artist was released from federal custody in January 2007 but continued to serve his six-year s*xual battery and extortion sentence, which ended in January 2010. Following his release, Tyler had to register as a convicted s*x offender in Louisiana.
In February 2012, Mystikal again had a run-in with the law when his partner accused him of domestic abuse and battery. He stayed in police custody for nine days before being released on bail. However, the Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against The Wall) rapper was sentenced to three months in prison for violating his probation in April of that same year.
He was given credit for nine days already served during his original six-year sentence and spent 81 days at the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail. He was released in August.
Five years later, Mystikal surrendered to the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Department after an arrest warrant was issued in his name for first-degree r*pe along with fellow rapper Averweone “Lil Hood” Holman, who was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals. Another woman named Tenichia Wafford was on the run for being an accessory to r*pe.
The charges stemmed from an incident at a Shreveport casino in October 2016, near the venue of the Legends of Southern Hip-Hop Tour, where Mystikal was performing. The rapper was detained at Caddo Correctional Center on a $2 million bond for 18 months, until he posted bail. He continued to plead not guilty. The charges were later dropped despite having DNA evidence.
Edited by Pallavi K