by Intruder Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Second Break-in at Eminem’s Home
A man with a history of unlawfully entering the home of rap superstar Eminem, whose legal name is Marshall Mathers III, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term following his second conviction for breaking into the artist’s residence. Matthew Hughes received a sentence of 15 to 30 years from a Macomb County Circuit judge on Tuesday. This significant sentence underscores the gravity with which the court viewed the repeated intrusions and the psychological impact on the victim.
The court also issued a strict no-contact order, prohibiting Hughes from having any communication with Eminem or being within 500 feet of the rapper’s home or person. This measure aims to provide essential protection and peace of mind for Mathers, who has endured persistent harassment. As of Wednesday, Hughes’ attorney from the Macomb County Public Defender’s Office had not provided a comment on the sentencing.
Authorities alleged that the most recent incident occurred on August 26, 2024, when Hughes unlawfully entered Mathers’ home, located within a gated community in Clinton Township, Michigan. Following this event, Hughes was charged with first-degree home invasion, a felony carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and aggravated stalking, a five-year felony. In May, after a two-day trial, a jury deliberated for approximately 90 minutes before convicting Hughes on both charges. The judge subsequently sentenced him to 15 to 30 years for the home invasion charge and 3 to 7 years and six months for the aggravated stalking charge.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido confirmed on Wednesday that Hughes’ two sentences will run consecutively, meaning they will be served one after the other, resulting in a combined minimum sentence of at least 18 years. In a statement released to the public, Lucido emphasized the importance of safety and privacy, regardless of an individual’s public profile. “No one, celebrity or not, should ever feel unsafe in their own home,” Lucido stated. “This sentence sends a clear message that stalking and home invasion will be taken seriously in Macomb County and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Everyone has the right to privacy, safety, and peace of mind.”
This conviction marks the second time Hughes has been found guilty of breaking into Mathers’ residence. His first arrest for this offense occurred on April 5, 2020. In that incident, Mathers was asleep when he was awakened by the sound of Hughes breaking a kitchen door window with a brick paver. Eminem was able to get Hughes to leave the house, where he was then detained by security guards until police arrived.
For the 2020 break-in, Hughes was initially charged with first-degree home invasion and malicious destruction of property valued between $1,000 and $20,000, which is a five-year felony. During a court hearing in September of the same year, a police officer testified that Hughes explicitly told the rapper “he was there to kill him.” Despite the severity of this statement and the charges, a judge sentenced Hughes in September 2021 to five years’ probation and time served, meaning he was credited for the time he had already spent in jail.
However, Hughes’ legal troubles continued shortly after his initial sentencing. Just one month later, he was charged with violating his probation and accused of assaulting a mall security officer in Taylor, Michigan. He subsequently failed to appear for a scheduled probation appointment. While he pleaded guilty to the probation violation, he entered a plea of not guilty to the assault charge.
The repeated nature of Hughes’ actions, particularly his return to Eminem’s property even after a prior conviction and probationary period, played a significant role in the stringent sentencing. This case highlights the challenges faced by public figures in maintaining their personal security and the legal system’s efforts to protect individuals from persistent harassment and home invasions. The consecutive sentencing in Macomb County aims to deliver a strong message that such violations of personal safety will be met with severe penalties.
