Kelvin Evans, 41, pleaded guilty in Atlanta to entering an automobile and criminal trespass for stealing hard drives containing unreleased Beyoncé music from a rental car in July 2025 [1, 2]. The theft occurred on July 8, 2025, targeting a 2024 Jeep Wagoneer rented by Beyoncé's choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue [1, 2].
Along with the hard drives, the stolen items included MacBook laptops, Apple headphones, luxury clothing, designer sunglasses, and other accessories [1, 2]. Police used tracking technology on the stolen laptops and AirPods to locate Evans and recover some stolen property [1, 2]. An Atlanta police officer said, "I conducted a suspicious stop in the area, due to the information that was relayed to me. There were several cars in the area also that the AirPods were pinging to in that area also" [2].
Evans was arrested between August and September 2025 and held in jail until his sentencing this week [1, 2]. He struck a plea deal and was sentenced in court on May 12 and 13, 2026, to two years in prison followed by three years of probation, with probation terms requiring no contact with victims and no return to the theft location [1, 2]. Evans accepted a five-year total sentence of which two years will be served in custody [1, 2]. His lawyer said they are "hoping for a future where he can make money legitimately and be part of society like the rest of us" [1].
Police said the hard drives contained watermarked unreleased music, footage plans for Beyoncé's show, and past and future set lists [2]. The break-in happened shortly before Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour dates in Atlanta at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium [1, 2]. The 2025 Cowboy Carter tour was the highest-grossing of the year, earning over $407 million across 32 shows [2].
It is unclear whether all stolen items have been recovered since Evans' arrest [1, 2]. The court case marks a conclusion to the criminal proceedings, with Evans beginning his prison term soon.
