Man pleads guilty in Beyoncé music theft case in Atlanta
Kelvin Evans. FOX 5 Atlanta image
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The man accused of stealing unreleased music belonging to Beyoncé avoided trial Tuesday by pleading guilty to charges connected to the 2025 theft in Atlanta.
What we know:
According to prosecutors, Kelvin Evans pleaded guilty May 12 in Fulton County Superior Court to entering auto and criminal trespass. Senior Judge Jane C. Barwick sentenced Evans to five years, with two years to be served in prison and the remainder on probation. The judge also ordered Evans to stay away from the location of the theft and the victims involved in the case.
Investigators alleged Evans stole two suitcases and several hard drives containing unreleased music from a vehicle parked outside a building on Krog Street in Atlanta.
What they're saying:
During Tuesday’s plea hearing, prosecutors detailed surveillance video they said showed Evans driving a red Hyundai into a parking garage on Krog Street and backing into a parking spot next to a 2024 Jeep Wagoneer. Prosecutors said video showed Evans looking into the SUV before removing black suitcases from the vehicle and later carrying the bags into an apartment building connected to his sister.
Authorities said investigators were able to track the stolen property because a MacBook Air and MacBook Pro were left inside one of the suitcases. Prosecutors said the devices were traced to multiple Atlanta locations connected to Evans before the signals disappeared. The stolen suitcases were "never seen again," prosecutors told the court.
Prosecutors also said Evans referred to himself during an interview as the "King Thief of Atlanta."
Investigators said Evans’ niece later told police she received an iPhone and several chargers taken during the theft. Prosecutors said the victims confirmed iPhones and chargers were among the missing items.
Court testimony also revealed Evans has a lengthy criminal history involving entering-auto convictions in Fulton, DeKalb and Forsyth counties dating back more than two decades. Prosecutors said Evans was on parole at the time of the theft.
During the plea hearing, Evans briefly hesitated when asked if he was pleading guilty because he was "in fact guilty," responding, "I’m not going to say I’m in fact guilty," before formally entering the plea.
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Evans previously rejected a plea agreement that would have sent him to prison for five years.
