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Rapper Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Tyler, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree rape.
The sentence was handed down on Tuesday (June 16) in a Louisiana court, following the 2022 incident at his home in Prairieville. The victim, who addressed the court, requested the maximum sentence, recounting how Mystikal assaulted her by choking, punching, and forcibly raping her. In response, Mystikal stated, "If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence," according to Variety.
Mystikal was initially arrested in 2022 on charges including first-degree rape, simple robbery, and false imprisonment. However, he later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of third-degree rape, which reduced his potential life sentence to a maximum of 20 years. CNN reported that Mystikal attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, citing insufficient time to consider its consequences, but the court proceeded with the sentencing.
This is not Mystikal's first encounter with the law. In 2003, he served six years in prison for sexual battery after assaulting his hairstylist. In 2017, he faced charges of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping, which were later dropped. The rapper, known for hits like "Shake Ya Ass," has been held without bond at the Ascension Parish Jail since his 2022 arrest.