Nicki Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, could face up to 10 years in prison for failing to register as a sex offender.
Petty pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender during a Zoom hearing with the LA Federal Court on yesterday.
The charge stems from failure to register as a sex offender when he moved to California in 2019. He Minaj wed in October of that year.
The timing right now seems bad. Minaj will no longer be performing at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, which she confirmed via Twitter,
“I just pulled out. I’ll explain why another day.
But I love those guys at MTV. Thank you Bruce. I love you so much.”
Next year we there baby.”
No mention of why from Minaj, so far.
Petty was convicted of attempted rape in New York in ’95, for an incident that occurred with a 16-year-old girl in September 1994. He served approximately four and a half years in prison. As a condition of his conviction, he must register as a sex offender whenever he moves.
According to the prosecution, he faces a maximum 10-year sentence in federal prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. But if he receives the minimum sentence, he could face as little as 5 years of supervised release.
Minaj previously defended Petty after fans questioned why she would date a registered sex offender replying to a fan via Instagram in December 2018,
“He was 15, she was 16… in a relationship.
But go awf, Internet. Y’all can’t run my life. Y’all can’t even run y’all own life. Thank you boo.”
According to The Blast, in 2006, Petty also pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter after shooting a man in New York. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and served seven. He was released in May 2013 and remained under supervised release for five years.
Petty previously dated Minaj before she became famous and the couple announced their rekindled relationship in December 2018 on Instagram.
Petty’s sentencing hearing for the registration failure is scheduled for January 24, 2022.
I just pulled out. I’ll explain why another day. But I love those guys at MTV. thank you Bruce. I love you so much. Next year we there baby. https://t.co/QkueA9fcOu
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) September 9, 2021
(Photo, Instagram; via Us Weekly)
