The Kenneth Petty mugshot most people have seen was taken by the Los Angeles Police Department on March 4, 2020, when Petty turned himself in to federal custody for failing to register as a sex offender in California. He was released that day on a $100,000 bond. The booking photo became the image attached to coverage of his criminal history, which includes a 1995 attempted rape conviction in New York, a 2006 first-degree manslaughter conviction for a fatal shooting in Queens, and the federal failure-to-register case that produced the 2020 arrest.
The 1994 Assault and Attempted Rape Conviction
Petty’s status as a registered sex offender traces to September 16, 1994, when a 16-year-old Jennifer Hough reported that Petty sexually assaulted her at knifepoint in his bedroom. Police lab analysis confirmed spermatozoa on Hough’s underwear, on vaginal smears, and on shorts collected from Petty, and photographs documented injuries to her face, neck, and sides.1Yahoo News. Nicki Minaj Husband Rape Accuser
Petty was arrested the same day. A grand jury indictment filed September 21, 1994, charged him with first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree unlawful imprisonment, second-degree assault, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.1Yahoo News. Nicki Minaj Husband Rape Accuser On April 5, 1995, he withdrew his not-guilty plea and pleaded guilty to attempted rape in the first degree. He served about four years and was later classified as a Level 2 (medium risk) sex offender in New York.2USA Today. Nicki Minaj Husband Kenneth Petty Sentenced for Not Registering as Sex Offender
The 2002 Shooting and Manslaughter Conviction
In April 2002, Petty arrived at a Queens street corner with a group of associates, crossed to where Lamont Robinson was standing, and shot him three times in the stomach before fleeing. Before Robinson died, he identified Petty from a hospital photo lineup by nodding his head, unable to speak. Investigators ruled out robbery and treated the shooting as targeted, likely connected to a gang dispute.3TMZ. Nicki Minaj Boyfriend Kenneth Petty Manslaughter
Initially charged with second-degree murder, Petty pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in 2006. The criminal complaint stated that he “shot the deceased, Lamont Robinson, with a loaded handgun multiple times thereby causing his death.”4People. Kenneth Petty, Nicki Minaj Husband — What to Know He was sentenced to 10 years, served seven, and was released in 2013 with five years of supervised release.
The Federal Failure-to-Register Case
After moving to California in July 2019 following his marriage to Nicki Minaj, Petty did not register as a sex offender in the state, as required under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Police first pulled him over and charged him in November 2019.5Oxygen. Nicki Minaj’s Husband Kenneth Petty Registers as Sex Offender in California The March 4, 2020 federal booking that produced the LAPD mugshot followed.
A grand jury indicted Petty on the failure-to-register charge, which carried a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. He initially pleaded not guilty, then accepted a plea deal in August 2021.2USA Today. Nicki Minaj Husband Kenneth Petty Sentenced for Not Registering as Sex Offender On July 6, 2022, U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald sentenced him to three years of probation, one year of home confinement, and a $55,000 fine.6CBS News. Nicki Minaj’s Husband Kenneth Petty Sentencing for Sex Offender Registration
2023 Probation Violation
In September 2023, Petty violated his probation by posting a since-deleted Instagram Live video filmed outside a New York City hotel where rapper Offset was reportedly staying. One of the men with Petty told Offset, “Plan that vacation, you gonna be planning your funeral,” while Petty taunted Offset and directed slurs at him.7New York Post. Nicki Minaj’s Husband Kenneth Petty on House Arrest for Threatening Offset On September 21, 2023, Judge Fitzgerald ordered up to 120 days of house arrest, with the probation officer seeking location monitoring to “limit his movements, provide a sanction for his non-compliance, and hopefully encourage him to reflect upon and reevaluate his current status in the community.”8Rolling Stone. Nicki Minaj Husband Kenneth Petty House Arrest
Jennifer Hough’s Civil Lawsuit
In August 2021, Hough sued Petty and Minaj in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleging witness intimidation, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, harassment, assault, battery, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. The complaint alleged that Minaj offered Hough $500,000 to write a letter recanting her rape allegation and offered to fly her to Los Angeles to work with a publicist on it.9Rolling Stone. Nicki Minaj Kenneth Petty Lawsuit Intimidation Sexual Assault Victim
The Clerk of Court entered a default against Petty on October 19, 2021, after he failed to respond; an attorney filed a notice of appearance six days later, and the case proceeded.10Court Listener. Hough v. Maraj, 1:21-cv-04568 On January 12, 2022, Hough voluntarily dismissed the claims against Minaj without prejudice. Minaj’s attorney, Judd Burstein, said Minaj had spent over $300,000 on legal fees and planned to seek reimbursement and disciplinary sanctions against Hough’s counsel.11NBC News. Nicki Minaj Dropped From Lawsuit Accusing Harassing Husband’s Sexual Assault Victim
The case against Petty continues. An in-person settlement conference on July 31, 2025, before Magistrate Judge James R. Cho ended without resolution, with the judge noting the parties were “far apart on settlement.”12Court Listener. Hough v. Maraj, 1:21-cv-04568 – Docket Page 2 In 2024, footage of Petty’s 1994 police interrogation resurfaced, in which a 16-year-old Petty denied having sex with Hough despite the physical evidence that led to his guilty plea; Hough’s attorneys reintroduced the footage in the civil proceedings.13Okay Player. The Latest Updates in the Sexual Assault Case Against Nicki Minaj’s Husband
Where Things Stand
Petty remained on supervised federal probation for the failure-to-register conviction as of September 2025 and remains a Level 2 registered sex offender in New York.13Okay Player. The Latest Updates in the Sexual Assault Case Against Nicki Minaj’s Husband A separate attempt to get his name off the New York registry, which argued he had not been notified of a 2004 risk-classification hearing and that his signature on a related document was forged, collapsed after a court transcript showed he was present at the 2004 hearing and did not contest his status; by early January 2023 he was seeking to withdraw the suit.14Audacy. Nicki Minaj’s Husband Tries to Get Name off as Sex Offender The Hough civil case is still pending in the Eastern District of New York, with Judge Eric N. Vitaliano presiding and Judge Cho handling discovery, and no settlement reached as of mid-2026.12Court Listener. Hough v. Maraj, 1:21-cv-04568 – Docket Page 2