Nicki Minaj and her sex offender husband Kenneth Petty at Argyle in Hollywood. Photograph: ©MHD/PacificCoastNews/Bang Showbiz
Nicki Minaj’s husband has been granted permission to accompany her on tour overseas.
The “Super Bass” singer is out on the road on her “Pink Friday World Tour” and on Tuesday, District Judge Michael W Fitzgerald lifted a restriction that will allow Kenneth Petty to travel internationally from now until July 14, while still on probation for failing to register as a sex offender.
Documents obtained by People magazine stated: “(Petty) will keep his probation officer updated with the details of his travel itinerary as needed.
“At the conclusion of the travel, (Petty) must return to Los Angeles and he must check in with his probation officer upon returning.
“Mr Petty must also provide an itinerary to his probation officer prior to travel and follow all his probation officer’s directives,” the judge said.
His lawyer added in a statement: “The order granted by the court speaks for itself.”
Petty – who has a 3-year-old son with his wife – had requested the exception on Monday in order “to travel out of the country with his family for his wife’s tour and her professional purposes”.
The filing added: “(Petty) and (Minaj) believe (Petty) is necessary to accompany the family on the tour for various purposes, including childcare.” Noting the schedule included stops in Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, UK, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland and Romania.
According to the documents, the government took “no position” after being notified of the request while his probation officer had “no objections”.
In April, 1995, Petty was jailed for four years as a level 2 registered sex offender in New York after being convicted of attempted rape in the first degree, for an assault the previous year of a then 16-year-old girl.
In March, 2020, he was arrested again after failing to register as a sex offender when he moved to California from Miami to which he pleaded guilty, and posted $100 000 (R1.9 million) bail.
In July, 2022, he was sentenced to one year’s house arrest and three years of probation, as well as given a $55 000 fine.
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