A Georgia man was sentenced to two years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to charges related to the theft of hard drives containing unreleased music from global superstar Beyoncé.
Kelvin Evans, 40, entered the plea in Fulton County Superior Court, bringing an abrupt end to a case that began when members of the singer’s production team were targeted during her tour stop in Atlanta. Fulton County Superior Court Senior Judge Jane C. Barwick sentenced Evans to a total of five years, with two years to be served behind bars and the remaining three on probation.
The charges included entering an automobile and criminal trespass. As part of the negotiated settlement, Evans was additionally ordered to maintain no contact with the victims and is prohibited from entering the parking facility where the crime occurred. The legal breakthrough happened just 48 hours after jury selection had commenced on Monday.
Evans had previously maintained his innocence, rejecting an identical plea offer in March and telling the court he was “ready for trial.” However, the weight of the evidence presented by the prosecution proved significant. During the proceedings, prosecutors showcased surveillance footage that captured a red vehicle, allegedly operated by Evans, pulling alongside a rental SUV in a parking deck on Krog Street. Subsequent video showed Evans at an apartment complex unloading luggage that investigators identified as belonging to Beyoncé’s choreographer, Christopher Grant, and dancer Diandre Blue.
Grant told authorities at the time of the incident that the thieves took two MacBook laptops, luxury apparel, and Apple headphones. More importantly, the stolen hard drives contained what Grant described as “personal sensitive information” belonging to Beyoncé, as well as unreleased musical tracks. Investigators were able to track the stolen laptops to a location in Hapeville, which matched the address where the red car was spotted on camera.
The theft occurred on July 8, 2025, after Grant and Blue parked their 2024 Jeep Wagoneer in the Atlanta parking deck. They returned less than an hour later to find a shattered rear window and their belongings missing. Evans was eventually apprehended by Hapeville police on Aug. 26, 2025, and remained in custody at the Fulton County Jail leading up to his sentencing. “He is looking forward to putting this relatively large part of his life behind him,” Evans’ defense attorney said during the hearing. The lawyer told the judge that Evans is hoping for a future where he can participate in society and earn an honest living.
Beyoncé was in the midst of her Atlanta tour dates when the July 2025 break-in took place. Evans had been under indictment by a grand jury since October and initially pleaded not guilty in January before changing his plea this week.
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