The man who stole hard drives containing unreleased music of pop sensation Beyoncé in July 2025 on Tuesday pleaded guilty to avoid a jury trial.
The accused, Kelvin Evans, was given a five-year sentence that includes two years in prison and the rest on probation, and was also directed to stay away from the victims and the Atlanta parking garage where the theft occurred.
The 41-year-old admitted to charges of single counts of criminal trespass and entering a vehicle with the intent to commit theft in Fulton County Superior Court.
According to reports, during Tuesday's plea hearing, prosecutors described surveillance video that showed Evans allegedly driving into the location of theft and parking next to a vehicle from which the hard drives were stolen.
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They also said Evans looked into the car, removed black suitcases, and later carried them into a building connected to his sister. Prosecutors claimed that the suitcases were "never seen again" and that in an interview, Evans referred to himself as the "king thief of Atlanta."
At one point, Evans' niece told police that she received an iPhone and several chargers that were among the items stolen, which prosecutors confirmed were reported as stolen.
Evans had previously rejected a plea agreement that would have handed him five years in prison. The theft took place in July 2025, when Beyoncé's choreographer and one of her dancers reported that thieves had stolen jump drives containing unreleased music, footage plans for her live show and previous and upcoming set lists from their rental vehicle.
An arrest warrant was issued for the suspect on July 14, and investigators arrested Evans the following month.
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