Crime & Arrests

Austin St. John, the actor who played the Red Power Ranger in the 90s TV series, has had his house raided by the feds and he's now under arrest in a massive federal criminal case.

One of St. John's neighbors tells TMZ ... approximately 15 FBI agents in tactical gear rolled up to St. John's home Thursday at 7 AM in Tahoe Suburbans in an upscale neighborhood in McKinney, Texas ... brandishing what looked like AR-15s as they approached his porch.

They entered the home and when they came out they had a plus 1 -- St. John in handcuffs.

Turns out there was a massive federal indictment involving 18 people who have now been charged with fraud. The indictment alleges St. John was part of a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program ... that's the program designed to help small businesses affected by COVID.

St. John allegedly got 16 loans, totaling $3.5 million, which he used for personal purchases and not for the intended purpose. Even if it was used for the intended purpose, the feds claim it was obtained fraudulently.

St. John played Jason Lee Scott in the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," which launched his career in 1993. He left the show in its second season but came back from time to time.

BTW ... there are other Power Rangers who got in a legal mess ... Ricardo Medina Jr., who starred in "Power Rangers Wild Force," was convicted of manslaughter in 2017 and sentenced to 6 years for stabbing his roommate with a sword.

As for St. John, if convicted he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Famed filmmaker Len Wiseman is getting court-ordered protection from a man he claims keeps showing up to his home, even once posing as a delivery man and using his outdoor spa.

Kate Beckinsale's ex-husband beelined it to court this week and got a temporary restraining order against a 29-year-old man named Jose Lamas, whom Len claims is getting way too comfortable popping up on his property without an invitation.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Len claims Lamas recently showed up unannounced at his Laurel Canyon estate, buzzing the front gate and posing as a Postmates delivery man.

Len says when he told the guy over the intercom to scram, Lamas walked around the property and opened a side gate to the backyard, tried to get inside the home and then stripped down to his boxers and got in the jacuzzi.

Len says the guy stayed in the hot tub for 45 minutes ... leaving only when cops showed up and arrested him.

It sounds crazy ... Len says there's surveillance showing Lamas at his house the day before the spa incident ... adding Lamas has been sending him threats on social media.

Among the alleged messages Lamas sent Len on Instagram ... "you are a stupid a** piece of f****** s***" and "come and get some, I will beat you to a pulp."

Len says the guy even reached out to him a couple days after the jacuzzi incident, sending him this message ... "I am sorry to bother you. I am a stone cold loser and I swear I will never bother you again."

But, Len says Lamas did bother him again ... claiming the guy showed up at his home a third time, rattling the front gate and again trying to gain entry.

Len says when cops arrested Lamas for the jacuzzi romp, the guy told officers he was Len's father and he played basketball for the Lakers.

Attacking Dave Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl is opening an even bigger can of worms for Isaiah Lee, who's now facing attempted murder charges ... for a separate incident.

The L.A. County D.A.'s Office says Lee stabbed his roommate back in December ... which flew under the radar until Lee made international headlines when he tried to tackle Chappelle earlier this month.

District Attorney George Gascón says, "The publicity generated by the attack on Mr. Chappelle helped police solve this crime."

According to the D.A., Lee stabbed his roommate at a transitional housing apartment -- but the victim wasn't able to identify Lee as his attacker until he saw him in the media reports about the Chappelle incident. The victim had previously reported the attack to cops.

As we reported, the D.A. got a lot of criticism for refusing to charge Lee with a felony for what went down at the Bowl -- the L.A. City Attorney ultimately charged him with 4 misdemeanors.

Master P says no one should be behind bars for low-level marijuana offenses, and he's not just blowing smoke ... he's actively trying to get people freed from prisons across the U.S.

The music icon joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and told us about his upcoming benefit concert for Friday's "Cannabis Freedom Day" ... and why more states need to change their drug laws.

Master P says there are way too many people locked up for possession of as little as $5 to $100 worth of pot -- in his home state of Louisiana and elsewhere -- and he says it's unfair and is wreaking havoc on entire communities.

To bring awareness to "Cannabis Freedom Day," Master P's No Limit Reunion Tour is performing in Norfolk, VA ... where he's taking the stage along with Mystikal, Silkk, Mia X, Fiend, Mr. Serv-on, Choppa Style, Mercedes and Juvenile.

Master P says he wants to put more pressure on states, like Louisiana, to follow California's lead and release people incarcerated for cannabis convictions while changing laws in the process. There have been over 60,000 people released in Cali, and with weed becoming decriminalized in 34 states, Master P wants to see more offenders get a second chance.

Chris Brown wants Rihanna and A$AP Rocky to know he wishes them nothing but the best in welcoming their baby boy to the world.

Just about an hour after TMZ broke the story RiRi and A$AP were proud new parents, Brown took to IG to write "Congratulations" with prayer hands, a heart and a pregnant woman emoji. While he didn't name Rihanna specifically, it's pretty obvious to tell who he was referring to.

As we told you first ... the couple's baby boy was born in Los Angeles on May 13, we don't yet know the baby's name.

Of course, Chris and Rihanna dated from 2007 to 2009 until things got violent. During an argument in February of '09, Brown attacked Rihanna, leaving her face bloodied and bruised to the point she had to be hospitalized.

Brown turned himself in to the police shortly after the incident and months later pled guilty to a felony assault charge. He accepted a plea deal that included community labor, 5 years probation and domestic violence counseling. There was also a 5-year restraining order put in place.

'BMF' star Lil Meech allegedly stole a $250,000 Richard Mille watch and got caught ... leading to his arrest for grand theft.

The 22-year-old actor/rapper -- handpicked by 50 Cent to star as his dad, Big Meech, in the Starz ‘BMF’ series -- got booked on two counts of first-degree grand theft and a separate count of organized fraud on March 14.

Cops say the actor walked into Miami's Haimov Jewelers back in February and put a down payment on the Richard Mille using his $80,000 platinum Rolex, but he allegedly failed to pay the remaining $200K balance and never returned the watch.

Cops also accuse him of trying to trade the watch for a different Richard Mille piece at a different store.

Records show Meech was released on bond the same day he was arrested. Lil Meech hasn’t reacted to charges publicly, but he recently posted an Instagram photoshoot to let fans know he’s unbothered.

Young Thug claims he's sleeping in a "dungeon" -- after being named an alleged mastermind of a criminal organization -- but jailhouse officials say he's just whining about the standard jail experience.

We broke the story ... Thug and his legal team filed an emergency petition last week, citing all sorts of inhumanity in his holding cell such as having a windowless room and being served "inedible" food.

The local Atlanta WSBTV media took a tour of a "typical" cell in the building and acknowledged the facility was "above board." One jail official said, "This is a jail, it is a detention center. It’s not the Ritz Carlton, so you have to recognize that."

The official's insinuation is pretty clear ... Thug is in jail, which is a far cry from the bottomless luxuries he's used to rapping about on his No. 1 albums. Sounds like that's why he's complaining.

The Buffalo Bills and NFL are teaming up to contribute $400,000 to local relief efforts in Buffalo ... after a mass shooting on Saturday left 10 people dead and several others injured.

"On behalf of the Buffalo Together Community Response Fund, we are most grateful for the generous contributions from the Buffalo Bills Foundation and the National Football League Foundation that will allow us to create real change and emerge from the darkness of this heinous act," said Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

The $400K donation will be divided up amongst several groups ... with $200,000 going to the Buffalo Community Response Fund, and the other $200,000 going to various nonprofit orgs working on relief efforts.

"This Fund is a partnership to build upon the collective desire to take action and to work together as a community to address immediate needs, long-term rebuilding and systemic issues that continue to marginalize communities of color," Dedecker added.

We've already seen members of the Bills org. -- like defensive back Micah Hyde -- literally, step up to the plate by donating proceeds from his charity softball game to the victims of the tragedy.

Hyde hosted the event at Sahlen Park, a minor league baseball facility, where he announced a huge $200K donation.

And, Josh Allen is also involved. The star quarterback said the team planned to meet to discuss further ways they could help the innocent victims and people in the community who are hurting.

The partnership between the Bills and the NFL is certainly a big step in the right direction.

Martin Shkreli is a free man (sorta) -- the guy's been released from prison ... and relatively early considering the length of his original sentence.

The one-time pharmaceutical exec and hedge fund manager -- who was convicted on securities fraud charges back in 2017 -- was sprung from FCI Allenwood Low in Pennsylvania Wednesday ... and will now be transferred to community confinement through the Bureau of Prisons' NY Residential Reentry Management Office.

He was initially sentenced to 7 years in prison after being found guilty on 3 of 8 federal charges pertaining to his reign at the pharmaceutical company Retrophin.

Shkreli was quick to celebrate -- posting a photo of himself on Facebook with the caption, "Getting out of real prison is easier than getting out of Twitter prison."

He seems to be rocking prison wear -- all-gray sweatsuit -- and may have even gotten a ride by some rando. A dude named Edmund Sullivan posted pics with MS, writing ... "Picked up this guy hitchhiking. Says he's famous." Might be a joke, who knows?

Shkreli's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, says his client will now be living in a halfway house. Brafman adds his client has completed various programs while behind bars to facilitate his early release from prison. He says Shkreli will make no further comment at this time.

Former Kansas Jayhawks soccer player Regan Gibbs died on Monday ... and her husband has since been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with her death.

The Lawrence Police Department in Kansas says officers were called to Gibbs' apartment at 7:26 PM on Monday ... when they say they found 26-year-old Chad Marek and a "mortally wounded" Gibbs.

Cops say Gibbs -- a former Jayhawks women's soccer goalkeeper -- was declared dead on the scene, and added Marek was arrested a short time later on suspicion of murder.

Police say "domestic violence is being investigated as a contributing factor" in Gibbs' death.

Marek and Gibbs had just gotten married last fall. Gibbs was just 25 years old when she died.

KU women's soccer head coach Mark Francis mourned the tragedy in a statement released by the school on Tuesday, saying, "Our soccer program is heartbroken to hear about the tragic loss of Regan."

"She was a tremendous teammate and young woman, and touched so many during her time at Kansas."

Gibbs played for KU from 2015 to 2018 and had the lowest goals-against average by a first-year goalie in Jayhawks history. The Washington native was also a part of two teams who made NCAA tournament runs.

"We are devastated to hear about the loss of former KU student-athlete Regan Gibbs," Jayhawks AD Travis Goff said.

"Our KU family sends our love, support and prayers to Regan’s family, friends and former teammates as we all mourn her loss."

A GoFundMe has been launched in Gibbs' honor -- with family and friends writing in the fundraiser, "Regan had a precious soul and she was loved by everyone who knew her."

"She is leaving behind her mom and four younger sisters who are heartbroken by this tragic loss."

A person cops believe to be responsible for shooting a Johnny Cash silhouette, causing a hilarious leak, is in custody and facing felony charges.

Officials arrested Timothy Sled on Monday, for shooting the 50,000-gallon water tank in Kingsland, Arkansas. He's been hit with 2 felony charges, one for criminal mischief and another for impairing the operation of a vital public utility.

Chief Deputy at Cleveland County Sheriff's Department Gary Young tells us they were led to Sled after an investigation that included local surveillance ... and there's still a possibility a second person will be arrested.

The alleged Buffalo shooter once detailed a grisly account of beheading a cat -- an incident that left him feeling absolutely nothing at all.

18-year-old Payton Gendron documented the killing in a digital journal entry on Discord -- which was public for a time before being taken down -- in which he describes slicing up a feral gray tabby cat that was apparently attacking his family's own pet cat in their garage.

He goes on to say he spent the next hour chasing it around and stabbing it with a camouflage knife ... until the animal died. Gendron is said to have also logged times on when it went limp, and how it bled from its mouth.

Doesn't sound like the guy was done desecrating the body ... Gendron went on to say he pounded the cat onto the concrete with its tail, and then cut off its head with a hatchet after about 20 hacks -- with blood splattering on his face.

He then wrote, "Honestly right now I don’t feel anything about killing that cat. I thought I would be in pain but I literally just feel blank," adding ... "Well my cat Paige is safe now from that evil feral cat, may you find bliss from consciousness less."

Gendron ended that entry by noting his cat had hung out with him more than anyone in the last few years, and that he hoped his family would care for it when he was "gone."

Former Cincinnati Bengals star Rey Maualuga has pleaded guilty to two felony charges in his DUI crash case ... but TMZ Sports has learned he was not sentenced to any more time behind bars.

Instead, according to court documents, Maualuga entered into a pre-trial diversion program ... meaning if he keeps his nose clean for the next five years, and completes several other conditions, the charges will be dismissed.

It's a pretty sweet deal for the 35-year-old -- considering he was facing up to 10 years behind bars after he had been accused of drunkenly crashing his Mercedes through mailboxes and front yards in a wild accident in Villa Hills, Kentucky on Aug. 11, 2021.

You'll recall, Maualuga -- who was an All-American at USC before playing nine years in the NFL -- was charged with felony first-degree wanton endangerment, felony first-degree criminal mischief, and misdemeanor DUI -- third offense, after cops say he admitted to drinking "a few" alcoholic beverages before the crash.

Prosecutors tell us Maualuga spent 120 days in jail after his arrest and completed an in-patient substance abuse program ... which they said factored into their decision to agree to give Maualuga a pre-trial diversion program after he pleaded guilty to all three charges at a hearing in late March.

In addition to keeping his nose clean, Maualuga must also complete 100 hours of community service, pay some fines and restitution, and submit to random drug testing as part of the program.

The man responsible for slaughtering 10 people at a Buffalo grocery store left no question ... his attack was racially motivated, as evidenced by the hateful messaging emblazoned on his gun.

18-year-old Payton Gendron descended on the Tops store with a black Bushmaster XM-15 assault rifle littered with  racist language -- "N****" on its' barrel, "Here's your reparations," "Dylan Roof," "John Earnest" and "SYGAOWN."

"SYGAOWN" is an acronym for "Stop Your Genocide Against Our White Nations." As you probably know, Dylan Roof is the man who killed 9 black worshipers at a South Carolina Church. Earnest killed one woman and shot 3 others in 2019 at a synagogue in San Diego.

Young Thug's controversial YSL record label is far from a criminal organization, according to Joe Moses, who says YSL is a totally legit enterprise.

The "Gang Bang" rapper, who's recorded several tracks with Young Thug, was adamant YSL is NOT a gang when he appeared on the "It's Tricky With Raquel Harper" podcast. Joe says cops and the Fulton County D.A. got this case all wrong because YSL is solely focused on making clothes and music.

As you know, prosecutors in Georgia feel the opposite, having indicted Thug, Gunna and 26 others on a 56-count RICO case -- but Joe says law enforcement is just trying to use YT's lyrics against him because Thug's Black.

Among Young Thug's lyrics listed in the indictment ... "I killed his man in front of his momma, like f*** lil bruh, sister and his cousin," and "my trigger start itching."

Joe says this is merely a case of a rapper describing or reflecting on things that happen in his community, and he believes Thug shouldn't be punished for his art.

What's more, he explains why all his dealings with Young Thug over the years lead him to believe the man has a heart of gold.

Cleveland Browns fullback Johnny Stanton is praising his primary care physician, Dr. John Cheng, for sacrificing his life in the Laguna Woods shooting ... honoring the man for his heroic actions.

Officials say 52-year-old Cheng was killed as he tried to stop the gunman who opened fire at the Geneva Presbyterian Church on Sunday. 5 others were injured in the shooting ... and cops say if Cheng hadn't taken action, there would have been "numerous additional victims."

Stanton -- who grew up in California before reaching the NFL in 2018 -- paid tribute to Cheng on Twitter minutes ago ... after realizing Cheng is the man who helped him out with regular checkups over the years.

"I just found out the person killed in the Laguna Woods shooting yesterday was my primary care physician, Dr. John Cheng," Stanton said.

"Absolute hero," Stanton added. "He attacked the gunman and helped save so many in that church. I just wanted his name to be known."

"He will be missed."