Mystikal: The Rapper Pleads Guilty to Rape, Faces Up to 20 Years in Prison

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Renowned rapper Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, has pleaded guilty to a third-degree rape charge.

The plea was made on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Ascension Parish Court in Gonzales, Louisiana.

This is part of a plea agreement that significantly reduces the original, more serious charge against him.

With this plea, Tyler now faces a potential maximum prison sentence of up to 20 years.

Previously, if convicted of the original charge, he risked life in prison without the possibility of parole.

A sentencing hearing in this case is scheduled for June 6, 2026, after the pre-sentence investigation is completed.

The case involving rapper Mystikal began on July 30, 2022, when Ascension Parish deputies responded to a report of an alleged sexual assault from a local hospital.

The victim arrived at the medical facility with visible injuries and later identified Tyler as her attacker.

The victim reported that Tyler beat and choked her at his residence in Prairieville, Louisiana.

Tyler allegedly took the victim's phone and car keys, attempting to prevent her from leaving the scene.

Furthermore, the victim stated that she was sexually assaulted while searching for money she believed Tyler had stolen.

Following the sexual assault, Tyler allegedly forced the victim to send him money through the CashApp app before allowing her to leave.

Tyler was arrested at his home shortly after the allegations surfaced and has been held without bail since.

He was charged in 2022 with several serious charges, including first-degree rape, simple robbery, domestic abuse by strangulation, false imprisonment, and simple criminal damage to property.

Mystikal's guilty plea in March 2026 was not the first time he faced sexual assault allegations.

In 2003, Tyler pleaded guilty to sexual assault and extortion after forcing his hairdresser to perform sexual acts on him and two of his bodyguards.

As a result of the case, he served six years in prison and was released in 2010.

Then, in 2012, Tyler spent another three months in jail after being arrested on domestic abuse charges for violating his probation.

In 2017, Tyler was charged with first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping following a woman's accusation of assault at a Shreveport casino.

He spent approximately 18 months behind bars before being released on $3 million bail.

However, a grand jury declined to indict him in December 2020, resulting in the charges being dropped.

The 2022 arrest marked Tyler's third sexual assault charge in less than two decades, demonstrating a recurring pattern of legal troubles.