Louisiana rapper Mystikal has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree rape, concluding a long series of legal proceedings that began with his arrest in 2022.

The case, involving an incident at his home in Prairieville, derailed his attempts at a career comeback.

The sentencing took place after prolonged legal wrangling and multiple courtroom appearances in Ascension Parish. By pleading guilty in March 2026, Mystikal avoided a potential life sentence in exchange for a maximum of 20 years behind bars.

Shortly before his sentencing, Mystikal’s legal team attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing that he had been under extreme emotional distress and pressured into making an immediate decision.

According to a motion filed by his attorneys and reported by WBRZ, Mystikal lacked adequate time to consider the long-term consequences of his admission.

The charges stemmed from a 2022 incident during which Mystikal accused a female acquaintance of stealing money at his home. Arrest records detail that he allegedly punched and choked her, ripped out sections of her braided hair, and prevented her from leaving by taking her keys and phone.

Following these events, he reportedly sexually assaulted her. Evidence indicates that Mystikal transferred money to himself from the victim’s phone post-assault, and the woman claimed to find what appeared to be methamphetamine in the house while searching for the alleged stolen cash.

Mystikal reportedly admitted culpability to the victim during the ordeal, saying, “If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence.”

This is not Mystikal’s first conviction related to sexual violence. In 2004, he served six years in prison following a conviction for sexual battery involving his hairdresser.

Upon his release, he was required to register as a sex offender, a designation that remained in effect at the time of his 2022 arrest.