Beyoncé Music Theft Case Takes Surprising Turn With Last-Minute Guilty Plea

Kelvin Evans, the Atlanta man charged with the July 2025 theft of unreleased Beyoncé music, pleaded guilty at the last-minute and avoided trial.

Evans, 41, entered his plea on Tuesday, May 12, just as testimony was scheduled to start in a Fulton County, Georgia courtroom, local station 11 Alive News reported.

After initially pleading not guilty, Evans had a change of heart and pleaded guilty to one count of entering an automobile. A second count of criminal trespass was merged into the first count.

Fulton County Judge Jane C. Barwick sentenced him to five years, with two years in prison and the rest on probation.

“Ladies and gentleman, the case is over,” Barwick told the jury.

The theft happened while Beyoncé was in Atlanta for her “Cowboy Carter” tour. On July 8, 2025, choreographer Christopher Grant parked a Jeep Wagoneer and entered the city’s Krog Street Market, which is a popular dining destination with tourists, as previously reported.

When Grant and dancer Diandre Blue returned to the parking lot an hour later, they found the back window of the vehicle was damaged.

“They stole my computers and everything. But it has a tracker on it, so I can see where it is… it’s really, really important information. Like I work with someone who’s of a high status and I really need my computer at this time,” Grant said in the 911 call.

The two told police the stolen items included suitcases, jump drives with unreleased Beyoncé music, laptop computers, AirPods, clothes, and designer sunglasses.

Courthouse News reported the drives were encrypted and the content on them could not be accessed.

Using security video from the area, police were able to track the license plate of the vehicle involved in the theft.

A woman driving the car was taken into custody and told investigators her uncle borrowed the vehicle and was using it at the time of the theft. The suitcases were recovered from the back of the car, prosecutors said.

Police later located Evans in nearby Hapeville, Georgia.

The prosecutor in the case played the surveillance footage in court Tuesday, and detailed a timeline of the theft. Evans stood and watched as the video was played.

His attorney said he decided to plead guilty because he wanted to take responsibility and has a 3-year-old daughter.

“He is looking forward to putting this… behind him and hoping for a future where he can make money legitimately,” the attorney said.

Evans has a lengthy rap sheet. On Tuesday, he was told he is not eligible for parole because of prior convictions and his involvement in more than half a dozen other vehicle break-ins.