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musicNEWS: Mystikal Sentenced to 6-Years For Sexual Assault


01-16-04 Keavin
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Rapper Mystikal (real name Michael Tyler) was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to sexual battery against his hair stylist. 

The 33-year-old Grammy-nominated rapper was arrested last summer in Louisiana, following an incident on July 3rd at his home where his hair stylist claims that Tyler forced her to have sex by threatening to have her prosecuted for stealing money from his checking account. 

According to police, Tyler threatened to press charges against the victim for her involvement in the check writing scam, and then forced her to perform oral sex on him before calling up two of his bodyguards, Leland Ellis and Vercy Carter. When the two men arrived they were said to have witnessed Tyler raping the women again, he then reportedly forced the women to perform oral sex on him before the other two men joined in, taking turns raping the victim. 

Police confiscated a video tape of the alleged rape. According to Police, once Ellis arrived on the scene, Tyler ordered Ellis to video tape the rapper engaging in sexual acts with the victim. The tape reportedly was turned on and off during the time of the multiple rapes but is said to include footage of all three men having sexual contact with the 40-year-old hairstylist. 

After police found the incriminating tape it didn�t take much for the Districts Attorney�s office to come to a plea agreement with Tyler. He was facing up to ten years in prison, but he was given six years in exchange for a guilty plea. 

Tyler was also charged with extortion, but he pleaded that charge down to five years probation, which will apply after his prison sentence in completed. 

The presiding judge, Tony Marabella, was reportedly disgusted after watching the video tape of the assault, which he described as displaying "continuous sex acts." He said that it was evident that the victim had been �terrorized�. And that Tyler was the �mastermind" behind the assault.

"The court is convinced that the defendant believes he is above the law and can take the law into his own hands," Marabella said. 

The two bodyguards also entered into plea agreements, both plead guilty to sexual battery and in exchange the extortion charges were dropped against them. Ellis was given a 3 year sentence and Carter was give 4 years. 
 
 

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