Arrests

Rapper Jackboy -- Kodak Black's protege -- was busted in Florida after police say they found him eating marijuana in an effort to hide the illegal substance during a traffic stop!!!

Jackboy was arrested Thursday in Pompano Beach ... and police say, after they pulled him over for driving around with tinted windows, his BMW sedan reeked of reefer and an officer noticed him chewing something strange.

According to the police report ... cops ordered Jackboy out of his whip, and told him to open his mouth, revealing what turned out to be chronic!

After spitting out the saliva-covered sativa, Jackboy was booked for possession of marijuana and tampering with physical evidence.

Jackboy only had a little bit of tree on him, but Florida ain't California or Colorado ... the Sunshine State still takes weed very seriously.

Seems Jackboy is taking the Kodak Black playbook a little too far ... Kodak's got a long rap sheet too and, as we reported ... KB just pled guilty to lying on federal gun applications.

The young rapper whose earned praise from Kylie Jenner, Drake and Meek Mill had a very public run-in with the law that ended with his arrest ... and his reps are calling the move racist.

Rapper Ambjaay -- famous for his hugely successful track, "Uno" -- was busted Thursday about an hour east of L.A. in Rancho Cucamonga after directing hundreds of high school kids to show up to a nearby park for a free pop-up concert.

So, why the move? The 19-year-old rapper wanted to reward the students from Rancho Cucamonga HS after a video showed them turning up to "Uno" last week ... hence the free concert. Problem was ... Ambjaay didn't have a permit, this according to law enforcement sources.

We're told police responded to the park and told Ambjaay he had to shut it down, but we're told he instead directed fans to another park. Cops tell us they got wind of this ... and that's when they pulled him over, searched his car and arrested him for disturbing the peace. He was later released.

A rep for Ambjaay tells TMZ ... all the rapper was trying to do was give back to a community that had showed him mad love. The rep straight-up calls this a classic case of racial profiling. The rep adds the disturbance occurred only AFTER police wouldn't let the rapper perform.

Adam Lambert, Usher, 'Real Housewives' star Dorit Kemsley and former football star Shaun Phillips are the latest celebs to be hit by burglars ... but this one has a twist.

Beverly Hills realtor Jason Emil Yaselli and an alleged accomplice, Benjamin Ackerman, are accused of various crimes between December 2016 and August 2018, including first-degree residential burglary, identity theft, conspiracy to commit burglary and money laundering ... including an allegation that they took more than $500,000 through fraud and embezzlement.

Here's the twist ... some of the crimes were allegedly committed during open houses in the Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Hollywood Hills and West Hollywood area. Presumably, during the open houses, the defendants allegedly pilfered stuff.

The complaint says the realtor would encourage his accomplice to steal luxury items from 14 homes, sell them and use the proceeds to make payments on the realtor's credit card.

The realtor was arrested Wednesday. The accomplice pled not guilty and his bail was set at $1.2 million. Prosecutors say they will recommend bail of $1.73 mil for the realtor.

If convicted, the 2 men face a max of 31 years in prison.

It's just about time for Tekashi 6ix9ine to pay the piper, testifying in open court against his alleged kidnappers ... while knowing full well it could make his family members targets of gang retaliation.

The rapper -- who's currently incarcerated on federal racketeering charges -- is expected to testify next month about the kidnapping and assault he claims he fell victim to in 2018. Cops arrested a suspect in the case, who pled not guilty, and also claims Tekashi made up the whole thing.

FYI, the guy calling BS -- Anthony Ellison -- was formerly part of Tekashi's management team and cops believe he's affiliated with the Nine Trey Bloods, the same gang Tekashi was with prior to his bust. Bottom line ... they know each other well.

That's what makes this situation messy for Tekashi -- he's currently preparing to point the finger at this guy, and the potential ramifications are very serious. Sources connected to the case tell TMZ, 6ix9ine's crapping his pants over testifying -- worried about how his mother and brother could be harmed, and also for his own safety behind bars. We're told he knows this could make him a marked man for life.

Case in point ... look what happened to notorious mobster Whitey Bulger last year in prison.

We already know 6ix9ine has shelled out thousands for security to protect his mom, but even with that ... we're told he feels there's nowhere for his loved ones to hide if the Nine Trey Bloods want to get even with him for snitching.

There's really no way out of this jam for Tekashi ... he's required to cooperate with the feds, so if they want him to testify, he's gotta sing. His last hope would be for Ellison and prosecutors to strike an 11th-hour deal.

Barring that ... we're told Tekashi will look kinda different on the stand -- same face tats, but hardly any rainbow hair these days. Not a ton of salon time in prison ...

Chris Brown doesn't have to worry about a criminal case against him in Florida anymore -- the charge for allegedly sucker punching a photographer has been dropped.

It's a huge win for the singer, who got arrested last year after the altercation with a photog in a Tampa nightclub called AJA Channelside. We got some video of the alleged incident, but the State's Attorney's Office tells us, "After a thorough review of the facts and information from the alleged victim, our office determined there was insufficient evidence to prosecute."

More specifically, sources with knowledge of the case tell TMZ ... the photog "lacked credibility."

In case you need a refresher, Chris was booked to appear at the club, and according to club management ... Chis and co. were pissed the photog was snapping pics of them when they'd already tried shutting him down and refused any photos. Apparently, the guy kept at it while Chris was in a DJ booth, and CB allegedly lost it.

The photog says Chris socked him in the mouth, and caused some gnarly injuries. Chris was able to leave that night uncuffed, but about a year later ... he was nabbed by cops on an open warrant for his arrest when he returned to the Sunshine State.

As we reported, officers were waiting in the wings at Chris' concert in West Palm Beach last year, and after he was done performing ... they took him in to the station, where he posed for this mug shot. He was released shortly afterward on $2,000 bond.

Chris has gotta be happy about this -- considering he's still got an open rape investigation going on in France. He has not been charged there.

Lil Yachty is looking at Boosie Badazz's weed case in Georgia with a glass-half-full type of mentality -- and doesn't seem to think he'll do jail time if convicted.

We got the rapper Saturday cruising around in Atlanta in a red Ferrari with a beautiful gal riding passenger, and asked what he made of Boosie's legal predicament there ... where he's currently facing two felonies and possible jail time for a little bit of weed.

TMZ broke the story ... the Coweta County D.A. hit the Louisiana MC with two charges -- possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, and possession of a controlled substance -- which are both felonies and carry max sentences of at least 1 year in prison, depending on how many grams he had on him at the time of his bust in April.

Yachty plays the semantics game with us, trying to get to bottom of what the reality of the situation is. Our camera guy got it right though -- Boosie's facing this sentence, which doesn't necessarily mean it's been handed down yet ... or that he'll actually receive it.

That's key for Yachty, who says there's an important word here giving him a feeling that Boosie probably won't be sent back to jail for this one.

Time will tell, we suppose. Remember, Boosie was sent to prison back in 2009 on drug charges in his home state -- which initially started with a marijuana charge -- that him kept him locked up for several years. He was ultimately released early in 2014.

Todd Chrisley has more drama on his plate -- his daughter ran to cops a month before he was indicted on tax fraud charges, claiming he tried extorting her with a sex tape to get her to lie ... but Todd claims BS.

Here's the situation ... Todd's daughter, Lindsie  -- who's estranged from the fam -- filed a police report last month in Georgia, alleging her brother, Chase, and her father were harassing her and threatening her with a sex tape of hers she believed Chase purchased.

In the police report, obtained by TMZ, Lindsie claimed Todd and Chase threatened to release the sex tape if she didn't lie about a certain "incident." Sources close to Lindsie say the lie was related to her testimony about the tax mess.

As we reported ... Todd and his wife, Julie, were indicted Tuesday on multiple federal charges ... including tax evasion, bank fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy. They pled not guilty in court Wednesday after turning themselves in, and have denied any wrongdoing.

As for Lindsie's allegation that Todd and Chase were in cahoots, Todd is denying it flat-out ... saying there's no truth to it and Lindsie's lying. Todd says he and Chase didn't purchase Lindsie's sex tape ... which allegedly includes a 'Bachelor' star. He tells us, "Although our hearts are broken, Lindsie is our daughter and we will always love her."

That said, sources connected to Todd tell TMZ he has a suspicion Lindsie might be part of the reason he and Julie got indicted in the first place, although it's unclear why. However, Lindsie's attorney, Musa Ghanayem, tells us that's absurd ... saying any report of Lindsie squealing on her fam is untrue, and that she didn't leak a damn thing.

For the record ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ that Lindsie's case in GA has been officially dismissed, because the alleged threat and harassment occurred in Tennessee.

Todd Chrisley and his wife, Julie, are not running from the law -- instead they're facing their tax evasion case head on, one day after the feds indicted them.

The "Chrisley Knows Best" stars surrendered Wednesday morning to the FBI in Atlanta, where there were open warrants for their arrest. According to local reports, the Chrisleys came in on their own accord and were taken into custody. They're set to appear in court later Wednesday ... presumably for a bond hearing.

As we reported ... the Chrisleys were slapped with the multi-count indictment Tuesday, alleging years of tax evasion, bank fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy between 2007 and 2012. The feds claim the couple ran a scheme in which they swindled banks out of millions of dollars in loans by providing fraudulent info -- not to mention screwing the public by dodging federal taxes on the money they earned. Their accountant was indicted as well.

The couple put out a lengthy statement shortly before the charges became public, denying any wrongdoing and trying to explain what exactly happened ... in their eyes, anyway.

Todd and Julie say a former employee of theirs is the one who was carrying out the financial crimes -- without their knowledge. They say they have nothing to hide.

Rapper Roddy Ricch allegedly grabbed his girlfriend during a heated argument at his home, and now he's facing possible felony domestic violence charges.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the Compton MC got into a verbal spat with his girlfriend early Sunday morning at his Los Angeles pad. We're told the dispute eventually turned physical, and sources say Roddy put his hands on the woman during their argument.

Roddy was arrested and booked for felony domestic violence. We're told the alleged victim did not need medical attention.

The 20-year-old rapper was released on $50,000 bond.

Roddy Ricch has made a name for himself in the West Coast rap scene ... his music videos are getting millions of views on YouTube, and he was featured on Nipsey Hussle's hit track, "Racks In The Middle." Roddy's also working on a collab with Drake.

Ex-"Deadliest Catch" star Jake Harris has been behind bars ever since his January arrest ... and it would behoove him to get comfy 'cause he's gonna be there a while longer.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... Harris was sentenced to 18 months in Skagit County Corrections following his arrest on 2 felony charges ... driving under the influence and possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance ... heroin.

As we reported ... Harris led state troopers on a chase in Skagit County, Washington when he took off with his RV. Cops say they noticed signs of drug use after they pulled him over -- pinpoint pupils, bloodshot eyes and a pale face. He was arrested and pled guilty to the 2 felony charges.

Jeffrey Epstein's death may never be conclusively determined, because we're told standard practice in the area where he was detained is that cameras do not point inside cells.

Sources familiar with the correctional facility in question tell TMZ, there are cameras in the Special Housing Unit -- the SHU -- but SOP is that cameras do not point into the cells. We're told cameras capture, among other things, the doors to each cell to determine if anyone walks in or out, but they don't point inside.

One source familiar with the facility says the drill is for guards to pass by each cell in intervals ranging from 15 to 30 minutes depending on the circumstances.

Unless there's a one-off cell with a camera pointing inside -- and we're told there have been rare situations where this is the case -- the time and manner of his death may never be captured.

Our sources did, however, make it clear ... since Epstein was taken off suicide watch there were plenty of ways he could have hung himself. There are sheets, blankets, t-shirts and there are objects -- including beds -- on which the items can be tied to facilitate suffocation.

Our sources all agree on one thing ... the fatal flaw was taking someone off suicide watch days after they believe he may have attempted to take his own life. It is baffling, disturbing and suspicious that medical professionals and officials at the correctional center would clear someone as high-profile, notorious and important as Epstein.

Epstein's death Saturday morning appears to be a suicide by hanging, but no one in an official capacity has categorized it as such.

"Black Ink Crew" boss Ceaser Emanuel might be licensed to run a tattoo shop in the Big Apple -- but, apparently, he isn't licensed to drive there ... according to cops, anyway.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Ceaser (real name David Emanuel) was arrested Friday in NYC after police officers say they witnessed him blow a red light and fail to yield to pedestrians while driving through a residential neighborhood in Brooklyn.

We're told the officers immediately pulled him over, and asked him to produce a license. Our sources say he handed one over that read "Emanuel Thomas" with a date of birth that was off by 8 years, saying he was born in June 1971 ... as opposed to his real DOB, 1979.

Sources also tell us Ceaser failed to produce a valid insurance card, so he was arrested on the spot and booked for misdemeanor false impersonation and other traffic violations.

Ceaser runs the Black Ink shop in New York, where the hit VH1 reality series began in 2013. It's gone strong for 7 seasons, and its 8th is set to air in just a few days. The show has also spawned two spin-offs, one in Chicago and another in Compton.

It's unclear if cameras were rolling while Ceaser was getting busted -- presumably, VH1 is all wrapped up with filming the 8th season. What's that saying about publicity again though?

Cops mistook bird poop for cocaine on a Georgia Southern quarterback's car during an arrest last month ... and the argument over the white stuff was all caught on video.

Shai Werts -- GSU's junior starting quarterback -- was pulled over on July 31 in Clinton, South Carolina after cops say he was speeding.

During the stop, officers placed 21-year-old Werts in the back of their patrol car ... and went to search Werts' 2016 Dodge Charger.

In the video, you can see cops paying close attention to the hood of Werts' ride, shining a flashlight on the area and allegedly discovering a foreign white substance on it.

That's when an officer walks back to the patrol car to question Werts, asking straight-up, "What's the white stuff on the front of your hood, man?"

Werts immediately responds, "Bird sh*t."

The officer doesn't believe him, saying repeatedly that the substance looks nothing like bird poop ... and instead, he tells Werts test results indicated it was a controlled substance.

"I swear to God it's not [bird poo]," the officer says, "because I just tested it, and that turned pink."

Werts insists over and over again it's bird poop ... but the cop clearly doesn't believe him, with the officer eventually telling him, "It tested positive for cocaine."

Werts was charged with misdemeanor cocaine possession and speeding ... and he was also suspended from GSU team activities after the arrest.

But, prosecutors announced late Thursday they were dropping the charges ... admitting the substance on Werts' car was NOT cocaine.

"I was informed that the test did come back and that there was no controlled substance found," Saluda County prosecutor Al Eargle told the Savannah Morning News.

Georgia Southern athletic director Tom Kleinlein announced Friday the team was "elated to get the news" regarding Werts ... and said the QB is no longer subject to punishment over the incident.

Werts has been a star for the Eagles the past 2 seasons ... rushing for 1,630 yards and 18 scores on the ground while adding 1,916 yards and 17 TDs passing in 24 career games.

Werts is expected to open the season as the team's starter vs. LSU on Aug. 31.

Robert Durst got away with murder, according to his deceased wife's family, and he just beat them in court.

A judge dismissed the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Kathleen Durst, who disappeared in 1982.

Her body was never found, but a judge subsequently ruled in 2017 her date of death was the same day she disappeared -- January 31, 1982.

Durst was widely suspected of killing her, but he was never charged. He has been charged with the murder of his good friend, Susan Berman, who prosecutors believe knew he murdered Kathleen.

As for the wrongful death lawsuit, a judge just said the family waited too long to file it and the 2-year statute of limitations has long-since run.

There's a twist in all of this ... the lawsuit could be filed -- even long after the statute of limitations had run -- if Durst were in criminal court over Kathleen's murder. Her family argued the criminal case did involve Kathleen's murder, because prosecutors believe Durst killed Susan Berman because she was going to blow the whistle on him over Kathleen's death. They felt that wasn't a direct tie ... or at least not enough to allow a wrongful death suit.

Durst was arrested and charged with Susan Berman's murder after the show "The Jinx" aired on HBO. You hear Durst in the bathroom, thinking his microphone was off, saying, "What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course."

Meek Mill has to wait a few more weeks to find out if his 2008 gun conviction gets tossed out or if he gets a new trial -- but that's all happening in front of a new judge, which has to be a huge relief for the rapper.

Judge Leon Tucker was presiding Tuesday morning when Meek walked into the Philadelphia courthouse. He's replacing the controversial Judge Genece Brinkley for Meek's potential retrial, which was granted by a panel of judges in Pennsylvania Superior Court in July.

Tuesday's hearing was an extremely brief bail hearing. Meek was released on his own recognizance, and Judge Tucker said both sides will return August 27 for a status hearing. At that point, they'll figure out whether to go to trial or just drop the whole matter.

As we reported ... it's highly unlikely prosecutors will refile the case and retry Meek. His attorney Joe Tacopina tells us, "While we had hoped that this matter would end today, we remain confident that justice will prevail in Meek's case once and for all."

That's because the main witness in the '08 case turned out to be a dirty cop, and a retrial over a decade later would mean the memories of other witnesses would be less reliable as well.

R. Kelly just got hit with more sex crime charges ... this time in Minnesota, where prosecutors say the disgraced singer once paid a teenage girl to have sexual contact with him in his hotel room.

According to prosecutors, the alleged incident went down on July 11, 2001 in Minneapolis ... and they say the alleged victim was between the ages of 16 and 17.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says the alleged victim initially approached Kelly seeking an autograph, and claims Kelly paid her $200 to get naked and engage in sex acts with him.

Prosecutors are charging Kelly with two sex crimes ... engaging in prostitution with someone under 18, and hiring/offering/agreeing to hire someone for sexual contact.

Freeman says there was no sexual intercourse between Kelly and the alleged victim, but he claims there was "dancing and sexual contact." He admitted the case will be difficult to prosecute, given that the evidence is almost 20 years old. Prosecutors say the tip came through a Chicago tip line.

The alleged victim is being represented by Gloria Allred.

R. Kelly's attorney, Steve Greenberg, just weighed in on the new charges ... tweeting, "give me a break. This is beyond absurd."

Kelly is currently in custody in New York, where he’s pled not guilty to 5 federal criminal charges including kidnapping and racketeering. The New York case is separate from Kelly’s 13-count indictment in Illinois federal court, which includes charges of child porn, enticement of a minor and obstruction of justice. Kelly is also fighting 10 charges of aggravated sexual abuse in Cook County, Illinois.