Rapper Mystikal pleaded guilty Tuesday to third-degree rape in a Louisiana court

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Rapper Mystikal pleaded guilty Tuesday to third-degree rape in a Louisiana court, resolving a criminal case stemming from his 2022 arrest in Ascension Parish.

Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, originally faced more serious charges, including first-degree rape, battery and false imprisonment. Those charges were reduced as part of a plea deal. By pleading guilty, Tyler avoided a possible mandatory life sentence but now faces up to 20 years in prison under Louisiana law.

The 55-year-old rapper has remained jailed without bond since his arrest. Sentencing is expected later this year.

The case adds to a long history of legal troubles for the New Orleans artist, who rose to prominence in the late 1990s with a series of hit rap singles. Tyler previously served prison time after pleading guilty to sexual battery in 2003.