Man in Beyoncé Unreleased Music Theft Case Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to Prison
The man accused of stealing hard drives containing unreleased Beyoncé music and sensitive tour materials has pleaded guilty, bringing a close to a theft case that drew significant attention after prosecutors alleged the stolen property included confidential files tied to one of the world’s biggest touring artists.
Kelvin Evans, 40, entered a guilty plea Tuesday in Fulton County Superior Court, avoiding a jury trial in the Atlanta case. According to local reporting, Evans pleaded guilty to one count of criminal trespass and one count of entering a vehicle with intent to commit theft. He was sentenced to five years, with two years to be served in prison and the remaining balance on probation.
The case dates back to July 2025, when members of Beyoncé’s touring team reported that critical materials had been stolen from a rental vehicle in Atlanta.
According to investigators, the stolen items included jump drives and hard drives containing unreleased music, production-related materials, footage concepts, and both previous and upcoming set lists connected to Beyoncé’s live performances. The theft immediately raised alarm not only because of the monetary value of the equipment, but also because of the highly sensitive nature of the material allegedly stored on it.
For artists operating at Beyoncé’s level, unreleased recordings and confidential tour plans represent both significant intellectual property and tightly guarded commercial assets.
During Tuesday’s plea hearing, prosecutors outlined the evidence they said linked Evans to the theft.
Surveillance footage allegedly showed Evans driving through an Atlanta parking garage before parking beside the vehicle from which the items were later reported stolen. Prosecutors said video evidence captured him looking inside the vehicle, removing black suitcases, and later transporting them into a building associated with his sister.
According to the prosecution, those suitcases were never recovered.
Investigators also referenced statements Evans allegedly made during questioning, including one in which he reportedly described himself as the “king thief of Atlanta,” a phrase prosecutors cited in court as part of their argument linking him to the theft.
At one point in the investigation, prosecutors said Evans’ niece told police she had received an iPhone and multiple chargers that were among the stolen items. Authorities later confirmed those items matched property reported missing by the victims.
Evans had previously been offered a plea agreement that would have resulted in a harsher prison term, reportedly five full years of incarceration, but rejected that earlier deal.
The theft triggered headlines last year because of the direct connection to Beyoncé’s unreleased creative material, though authorities never publicly confirmed whether the missing music or associated production files were ever recovered.
Neither Beyoncé nor her representatives have publicly commented in detail on the case.
