(Michael Tyler. Photo Credit: The Guardian)
Louisiana rapper Mystikal, real name Michael Tyler, has been handed a 20-year prison sentence over a 2022 r@pe incident that took place at his residence in Prairieville.
During Tuesday’s sentencing proceedings, the victim appealed to the court to hand down the maximum penalty, narrating how Tyler allegedly p¥nched her, ch%ked her, yanked braids from her hair, and forcibly r@ped her.
Following her statement, Tyler was given the chance to respond but was directed to address the judge rather than the victim directly.
He stated that if he indeed did what was alleged, he deserved the maximum punishment.
He was eventually sentenced to 20 years for third-degree r@pe, falling five years short of the 25-year maximum.
The sentence had already been capped at 20 years as part of a plea deal reached in March.
Tyler was initially arrested on a first-degree r@pe charge, which could have attracted a life sentence, but later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge under the agreement with prosecutors.
Shortly before the sentencing, his lawyer filed a motion to withdraw the guilty plea, arguing that Tyler had not been given adequate time to fully weigh the implications of his decision.
The court rejected the motion.
Upon his eventual release, Tyler will be required to continue meeting s+x offender registration obligations. He had previously spent six years behind bars following a 2004 s+xual a§§ault case involving his hairstylist, which also led to his registration as a s+x offender.
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