Man Who Stole Beyoncé’s Unreleased Music Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

Few artists guard their work as closely as Beyoncé, whose releases have long been defined by secrecy, surprise and a near-total resistance to leaking. That’s part of what made last summer’s theft in Atlanta so notable: someone managed to get hold of hard drives containing unreleased Beyoncé material, and the music still never surfaced. Now the man accused in the case has been sentenced to two years in prison.

The break-in happened in Atlanta just before a stop on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour, when a Jeep was entered in a parking garage. According to 11Alive reports, Beyoncé’s team said the stolen bags included “jump drives with unreleased watermarked Beyoncé music, footage plans for the show, past and future set lists, two laptops, designer sunglasses, and Apple AirPods Max headphones.” It was the kind of haul that sounds almost absurdly specific, but in Beyoncé’s world even the smallest logistical detail can carry real weight.

Atlanta police used security camera footage to identify Kelvin Evans, who already had multiple break-in cases on his record. The available reporting does not indicate that Evans specifically targeted Beyoncé, even if the materials taken from the vehicle made the case feel especially high-profile once it became public.

After turning down plea deals, Evans eventually pleaded guilty to one count of entering an automobile and one count of criminal trespass. He was sentenced to five years total, with two to serve in prison and three on probation. Because he was already on parole, he will not be eligible for parole in this case.