Singer Nicki Minaj’s neighbors aren’t thrilled about her husband Kevin Petty, who is a convicted sex offender, living in their midst.
The 40-year-old rapper, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, currently resides in a $19.5 million estate in the upscale Hidden Hills neighborhood in the western part of Los Angeles County.
Minaj’s husband registered his new address with the Megan’s Law website as he was required to do. That’s when neighbors took notice and started circulating a petition called “SAY NO TO SEX OFFENDERS IN HIDDEN HILLS,” per TMZ.
The petition by resident Beverly Bardan started soon after Petty moved there in December 2022, but it is gaining steam and earned more than 100 signatures in the third week of June, the outlet noted. As of June 23, it had 912 signatures with a goal of 1,000.
“The Petty couple moving in would lead to appraisal value of our homes to go DOWN due to safety concerns. It would lead to children and women being a target,” the change.org petition says in part. “DO NOT allow this dangerous sex offender to live near you, SHOW that you are against sex offenders in our Hidden Hills neighborhood!”
The backlash stems from an alleged incident which happened between Petty and Jennifer Hough. Then 16-year-old Hough said Petty, then 15, came up behind her while she was walking to school, then forced her back into his house and raped her at knifepoint. Hough said she went to school and then went home and immediately reported the alleged crime to her adoptive mother.
Petty denied the allegations and said the two were dating at the time.
Petty was later convicted of attempted rape in the first degree, assault in the second degree, unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, and criminal possession of a weapon. He was sentenced to 18-to-54 months in prison, serving almost four years before being released in January 1999.
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Minaj denounced fan backlash after they questioned her for dating a convicted sex offender. “He was 15, she was 16… in a relationship. But go awf, Internet,” she wrote on social media comments in 2018.
The exclusive gated community of Hidden Hills is becoming popular with celebrities. Other famous residents include Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Kris Jenner, and Will Smith, per TMZ.