Grammy nominated American rapper and singer Michael Lawrence Tyler, popularly known as Mystikal, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment following his conviction in a rape case.
The sentence was handed down on Tuesday after Mystikal pleaded guilty in March to a reduced charge. The original first degree rape charge carried an automatic life sentence under Louisiana law.
The conviction relates to the rape of a woman at the rapper’s home in Louisiana in 2022.
Days before sentencing, Mystikal sought to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing that he entered the agreement under “significant emotional distress” and “substantial pressure.” However, the court dismissed the request.
During the sentencing hearing, the victim, whose identity was withheld, accused the rapper of physically assaulting her before sexually assaulting her at his residence in Prairieville.
According to her testimony, Mystikal punched her, choked her, pulled out her braids, and forcibly raped her. She urged the court to impose the maximum available sentence.
Responding during the hearing, the rapper stated, “If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence.”
Mystikal has remained in custody since his arrest in 2022.
In 2023, he was also sentenced to six years imprisonment after pleading guilty to a sexual battery charge, adding to his legal troubles in recent years.
