Crime & Arrests

A man who has already been arrested for stalking Ariana Grande has been arrested again ... this time after breaking into her Montecito home on her 29th birthday.

Aharon Brown has a history of dogging Ariana. He was arrested last September at her L.A. home after showing up with a large hunting knife, allegedly screaming at her security, "I'll f***ing kill you and her!" He was arrested for making criminal threats and a judge issued a restraining order prohibiting him from coming near Ariana.

That did not stop him. He violated the restraining order recently by trying to find Ariana and apparently got close. He was supposed to turn himself in Tuesday for violating the restraining order, but Sunday he traveled to Montecito and broke into her house.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... on Sunday, Brown somehow got into Ariana's Montecito home. She was NOT home at the time, but the security alarm went off and cops showed up and arrested Brown.

Ghislaine Maxwell was just sentenced to 20 years behind bars for her role in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking scandal.

Maxwell was sentenced Tuesday ... learning her fate nearly 7 months after being found guilty by a New York jury. She'll also have to pay a $750k fine and 5 years of supervised release once she's out.

As we reported ... Maxwell was convicted back in December on 5 of the 6 counts she faced in her sex trafficking trial, including a conviction on one count of sex trafficking of a minor.

Maxwell stood accused of soliciting and grooming minors for sex crimes and abuse at the hands of Epstein between 1994 and 2004.

During her trial, 4 women testified Epstein sexually abused them when they were all under the age of 18 ... and they also told the jury Maxwell recruited and groomed girls for Epstein to abuse and sometimes even joined in on the abuse.

At the sentencing, a few of Maxwell's victims spoke. One of the victims, Annie Farmer, said "Maxwell had many opportunities to come clean, but instead continued to make choices that caused more harm. She chose to lie about her behavior, causing additional harm to all of those she victimized."

Maxwell addressed the court as well and apologized to the victims. She said, “Your honor, it is hard for me to address the court after listening to the pain and anguish expressed in the statements made here today. The terrible impact on the lives of so many women is difficult to hear and even more difficult to absorb, both in its scale and in its extent."

"I believe that Jeffrey Epstein was a manipulative, cunning and controlling man who lived a profoundly compartmentalized life and fooled all of those in his orbit. Jeff Epstein should have been here before all of you. He should have stood before you in 2005, again in 2009 and again in 2019. ... All the many times he was accused, charged and prosecuted. but today it is not about Jeffrey Epstein ultimately. To you, all the victims ... I am sorry for the pain that you experienced."

Maxwell pled not guilty to all the charges and her legal team insists she's been made a scapegoat for Epstein ... who committed suicide in custody in 2019 while awaiting his own trial.

John Hinckley -- the man who tried assassinating Ronald Reagan once upon a time -- is feeling remorse for what he did, and is and is now asking for forgiveness.

Hinckley shared his feelings Tuesday on 'CBS Mornings,' offering up condolences to the families that suffered for what he did. He struggles to recall what happened outside the Hilton hotel in D.C. back in 1981, when he shot then-President Reagan, Press Secretary James Brady, Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy and D.C. cop Thomas Delahanty.

Reagan came within a hair's breadth from dying, and Brady was shot in the head and was confined to a wheelchair with multiple health issues for the rest of his life.

Hinckley says he's glad he failed in his attempt to kill the President.

He says mental illness was behind the act, and a jury agreed ... Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity. As for his mental state these days, Hinckley says he's been one of the most scrutinized people in the mental health system.

Hinckley says he'd like forgiveness from all the folks he hurt, including Jodie Foster, with whom he had an obsession and fired the shots to get her attention.

Hinckley was confined to a mental institution until 2016 and won unconditional release just this month. He says he did the interview with CBS so people could see he's not a monster.

Rudy Giuliani's alleged felony assault in a grocery store was captured on surveillance video, and ... let's just say it's not as violent as Rudy made it out to be.

The video captured the moment, Sunday in a Staten Island ShopRite ... an employee came up from behind the former NYC Mayor, and you definitely see him slap Giuliani on the back and then exchange some words.

As we reported, the suspect said "What's up, scumbag?" as he struck Giuliani ... and you can tell from the video the guy's slap and choice words irked, not only Giuliani, but the team of people around him. Giuliani told the NY Post he felt a "tremendous pain" in his back, and the guy was yelling at him about the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

The suspect was arrested for felony assault -- it's a felony because Rudy is over 65.

Although Giuliani said he was nearly knocked to the ground ... it doesn't appear that way in the video. Now, Donald Trump's ex-attorney is calling for the suspect to get jail time. During a news conference he said, "He hit me to knock me down and if that doesn't merit jail time in New York, we're in the wild wild west."

WNBA superstar Brittney Griner appeared in a Russian court on Monday for an important hearing in her drug case ... and while she looked to be in good shape, she was flanked by multiple security guards and had shackles on her wrists.

The Phoenix Mercury center -- who had previously been ordered to remain in pretrial detention until at least July 2 -- made the appearance wearing a grey t-shirt and sweats.

At the proceedings, a July 1 trial date was set for Griner -- nearly five months after she was initially detained in the foreign country for allegedly having hashish oil in her luggage at an airport.

Photos from the court show the 2-time Olympic gold medalist had her eyes wide open ... and was cuffed to an officer who was leading her to her court appearance.

Griner, who was ordered to stay in custody for the duration of her trial, is facing up to 10 years behind bars if she's convicted on the charges against her.

While U.S. officials, including congressman Colin Allred, have claimed Griner is "a political prisoner" ... a spokesperson for Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, told NBC News that Brittney's detainment is because she broke the country's law, not because she's being used as some sort of pawn.

Vic Mensa's pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance, but he won't do any time behind bars after striking a deal with prosecutors ... TMZ has learned.

Kendra Glover, a rep for the Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney, tells TMZ ... Mensa pled guilty to one count of possession of a Schedule III controlled substance, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

We're told as part of the plea deal he got 12 months in jail, but that was suspended -- meaning instead of serving it behind bars, he'll have a year of unsupervised probation.

Vic will also have to take a substance abuse assessment, perform 25 hours of community service, and pay a $1k fine. BTW, he'll get 50 percent off that fine if he successfully completes the other probation terms.

As we've reported, Vic was arrested back in January at Dulles International airport for going through customs with a stash of shrooms.

Vic tells TMZ ... "In this case, I have decided to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge. I have been extremely vocal about my mental health, the culture at large and access to mental health treatment. It is important to note the extensive research being done on the topic of psilocybin [shrooms] and the many significant movements underway for legalization and decriminalization.

He continues, "Esteemed universities such as Johns Hopkins, University of California, NYU, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and The Imperial College of London have all immersed themselves in years-long research programs with full departments and centers dedicated to this work. Unfortunately, our laws have not kept up with the research showing that psychedelic plants and compounds can be successfully used to treat otherwise treatment-resistant mental illness."

NFL linebacker Matt Adams' time in Chicago is off to a bad start -- the 26-year-old was arrested for gun possession on Thursday, TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told Adams -- who signed a 1-year deal with the Bears in April -- was questioned by cops around 6:45 PM after he was spotted near a Jeep that was reported stolen.

Adams allegedly claimed to have bought the car ... but when cops searched the vehicle, they found a loaded handgun in the center console and an extended mag in the trunk.

Adams was arrested and booked on misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon -- carrying/possessing a firearm ... and was cited for having a high capacity magazine and metal piercing bullets.

We're told Adams had a permit for the gun ... but it was NOT issued by the state of Illinois.

Adams -- who is still in custody at the time of this post -- is due in court in August.

As for the car, we're told the owner did not want to press charges ... chalking the whole thing up as a misunderstanding.

Prosecutors want Nicki Minaj’s husband to do serious jail time -- not home confinement -- for failing to register as a sex offender in California ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

According to new legal docs, federal prosecutors don't think 6 months behind bars followed by supervised release is sufficient punishment for Kenneth Petty, who pled guilty to the offense. They specifically note any home confinement ordered as part of his supervised release would be spent in a huge Calabasas home where he and Nicki live.

The feds point out it's in a "gated affluent community" and includes a pool, Nicki’s music studio, and their beautifully landscaped backyard -- amenities not in line with their idea of crime and punishment.

In fact, the U.S. Attorney's Office seems to think that lap of luxury is what led Petty down the wrong path. In the docs, prosecutors say Petty kept up with his sex offender registry paperwork for nearly 20 years ... until he met Nicki in 2019 and moved to Cali. As they describe it, "Defendant began dating his wife, quit his job, moved to Los Angeles, and adopted an affluent lifestyle."

Petty told the court he didn't know the specific requirements to register upon leaving NY state, but prosecutors say he was well aware of the rules after getting annual warnings for 2 decades. As we've reported ... Petty had to register as a sex offender after a 1995 attempted rape conviction in NY.

Now, federal prosecutors in CA are recommending he serve 15 months of prison time, 5 years supervised release and pay $55K in retribution. The judge will have final say when sentencing goes down July 6.

Todd and Julie Chrisley are asking for thoughts and prayers in the wake of their recent convictions for bank fraud and tax evasion.

The "Chrisley Knows Best" stars asked fans to stop spending their hard-earned money on flower arrangements and gifts and instead keep the couple in their prayers.

Todd, who's on house arrest, made the request Wednesday in the latest episode of this "Chrisley Confessions" podcast ... telling folks the gifts being left at his door are overwhelming and appreciated, but the best gift is prayer.

Julie agrees ... she's in the background saying "Amen" to Todd's wish.

As we reported ... Todd's hanging out in his huge Nashville mansion while he awaits sentencing after being found guilty of a laundry list of charges ... and he's facing up to 30 years in federal prison.

Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, will face criminal charges -- and possibly jail time -- for his recent DUI arrest, and TMZ has learned ... the arresting officer noted Pelosi handed him a special card showing he supports cops.

Paul Pelosi has been charged with 2 misdemeanors -- Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Causing Injury, and Driving with .08% Blood Alcohol Level or Higher Causing Injury.

We're told a blood sample was taken and it came back .082% BAC ... just over the legal limit.

TMZ broke the story ... Paul was involved in a car accident the night of May 28 near Napa, California, where police say Paul was behind the wheel of a 2021 Porsche when it was struck by a Jeep in a 2-vehicle crash.

The CHP officers who responded say Pelosi had "objective signs and symptoms of alcohol intoxication" ... such as watery eyes, slurred speech and a "strong odor" of alcohol on his breath. They say he also showed signs of impairment after field sobriety testing.

Interestingly, they also note Pelosi handed officers his "11-99 Foundation" card when they asked him for ID. The foundation provides financial assistance and scholarships to CHP officers and their families.

The penalty includes up to 5 years probation, a minimum of 5 days in jail, and the installation of an ignition interlock device.

Paul, who was not with Nancy, took a solemn mug shot after his arrest.

Police also note the victim reported pain in his arm, shoulder and neck, had trouble lifting things ... and was seeking medical care from his doctor.

Warren Jeffs, the subject of a popular new Netflix documentary, just posed for a new mug shot ... and he doesn't look happy about his streaming service fame.

The infamous president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is behind bars in Texas, where he's serving a life sentence for child sexual assault.

We're told Warren took his new mug shot Thursday ... as his Netflix doc continues to do big numbers. He's locked up at the Louis C. Powledge Unit ... a prison in Palestine, Texas.

The super-popular Netflix documentary, "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey," takes a look at Warren and his controversial church ... where polygamy reigned supreme.

Warren reportedly had 78 wives when he was arrested back in 2006 ... and his rap sheet includes time on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List plus a separate conviction for rape as an accomplice.

Jussie Smollett still insists he did not lie about the homophobic and racist attack, because IF he did he would be a total piece of s**t -- and he claims everyone knows he's not that.

The actor dug in his heels Wednesday morning on Sway's SiriusXM show, talking about why he feels he got screwed in court. As Jussie sees it, if you buy what the jury said -- that he flat out lied -- that would mean we all found out "someone is exactly the opposite of who they claim to be."

No argument there.

However, he went on to explain that committing such a nefarious lie would mean he'd exploited the pain and fears of both Black people and the LGBTQ community -- and Jussie says, "I'm not that motherf***er."

Of course, his stunning statement flies in the face of all the evidence presented in Cook County court before he was convicted and sentenced, back in March, to 150 days.

Speaking of which, Jussie also talked about his time behind bars ... explaining why he stopped eating the whole time he was in Cook County Jail.

He says fasting is something his family always does to gain clarity, and he was uncertain about how long he'd be in jail. Remember, despite the 150-day sentence, Jussie had immediately asked the judge to let him out on bail while he filed an appeal.

Jussie says, "I have never in my life, at least in my adult life, been as clear of mind as I was for those 6-and-a-half days."

What's unclear about Jussie's clarity is how long he would have continued fasting if the judge hadn't let him out, and also ... what exactly he gained clarity about during that time.

Joe Exotic is back in the dating game, after just splitting with his prison fiancé ... we've learned he's rekindled things with a former boyfriend.

Joe and his ex-boyfriend, Seth, are back together after Joe's would-be-husband John Graham got sprung from prison and moved on ... this according to Joe's lawyer Autumn Blackledge.

Seth and Joe met over the Internet back in 2021, when Seth found out Dillon Passage and Joe were splitting. Later that year Joe held an online 'Bachelor King' competition, accepting applications to be Joe's new boyfriend, and Seth was the lucky winner.

They dated for a few months but grew apart and fell out of touch. Joe then met fellow inmate John Graham at the FMC in Fort Worth.

As we reported, Joe and John called it quits earlier this month ... ending their 'Twilight'-esque relationship. Autumn told us ... John quickly ended his relationship with Joe after he got released, and almost immediately Joe reconnected with Seth.

We're told Joe and Seth communicate through letters and talk on the phone daily. Joe says he got back together with Seth because he got his "head out of his own a**" and realized he really liked Seth.

Joe says, "Seth is an amazing human being, wants the best for me and we understand each other," ... adding he's taking this one slowly.

As for seeing each other face-to-face ... Seth has yet to get the approval from prison staff, but he plans to see him as soon as he gets the green light.

Actress Caylee Cowan, the girlfriend of Casey Affleck, had the scariest wake-up call of all time ... cops say she opened her eyes to find an intruder staring down at her.

LAPD sources tell TMZ ... Caylee was all alone early Tuesday morning in the bedroom of their L.A. home ... when she opened her eyes and saw a man in her bedroom. We're told the intruder broke in sometime around 3 AM.

Caylee let out a scream ... and that was enough to scare the guy right out of the house.

Caylee then called 911 and somehow had the presence of mind to give the dispatcher a description of the guy. Police then raced to the scene with sirens blaring ... and spotted him running down the street. He was arrested and taken to the station.

Apparently, before entering Caylee's room, he rifled through some of her stuff in another room. As a result, he was booked for burglary. It's possible the D.A.'s office could add charges when they get the case.

It's unclear how the guy got inside the house, but cops tell us there was no sign of forced entry.

We're told Casey was not home at the time and Caylee was unharmed. But it was one hell of a scare.

It's reminiscent of a terrifying incident involving Sandra Bullock back in 2014, when an intruder entered her Bel Air home and got to her bedroom door ... she ended up face-to-face with him and was able to lock the door before he entered.

Bill Cosby was just found liable in a civil suit filed by Judy Huth against the disgraced comedian, who claimed he sexually assaulted her at the Playboy Mansion back in 1975.

The Santa Monica jury awarded Huth $500,000.

Huth was 16 years old when she and a 17-year-old friend met Cosby on a film set in a park. She claimed Cosby invited them to accompany him to the Playboy Mansion a few days later.

Huth testified Cosby was alone with her in a bedroom at the mansion, where he attempted to put his hand down her pants. She says she lied to Cosby about being on her period to get him to stop, but claimed Cosby exposed himself and forced her hand on his erect penis and used it to masturbate until climax.

Cosby did not attend the trial ... the jury was, however, shown Cosby's 2015 video deposition, during which he denied Huth's allegations and said he didn't even remember meeting. Huth's lawyer, however, showed the jury a photo of Cosby and Huth at the Playboy Mansion.

Cosby's defense team insisted the allegations were nothing more than Huth attempting to cash in.

As for why Huth waited until December 2014 to file the lawsuit, she claimed the alleged assault resulted in anxiety attacks and flashbacks, beginning in 2014 ... lasting through 2018 when Cosby was sent to prison after being convicted in a separate criminal sexual assault case involving Andrea Constand.

Black folks are pissed off and deeply traumatized by Nipsey Hussle's murder, with a new wave of emotions coming back up during his alleged murderer's trial ... so says Luenell.

The comedy vet chatted with Raquel Harper Tuesday on the 'It's Tricky' podcast. Luenell says she lives near the area where Nipsey was shot, and to drive by the spot almost daily feels like some sort of post-traumatic stress.

She also addressed Nip's alleged killer, Eric Holder, who is currently on trial, saying, "The Black community don't hate nobody as much as they hate Eric Holder's bitch ass."

She also says there are a lot of people praying, if convicted, Holder's placed in general population. Luenell doesn't spell it out, but her insinuation's clear ... inmates are ready to get revenge.

Holder's trial kicked off in L.A. last week, 3 years after Nipsey was killed, and we've already heard the grisly details from the day Holder allegedly pulled the trigger -- including his final words to Nipsey before the rapper died.

Luenell says she's at the point where she feels she needs to move away from Crenshaw, as the reminders throughout the neighborhood of what happened to Nip have become too much to handle.

She also sends her love to Lauren London, who has a son with Nipsey and was dating the rapper when he died. Luenell believes a part of Lauren died with Nipsey.