Crime & Arrests

Lil Meech, the star of 50 Cent's "BMF" TV series, is off the hook in his Florida gun possession case ... and TMZ has learned it was all just a mix-up involving luggage.

Here's what happened ... Meech was arrested in December at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after TSA agents spotted a 9MM in a carry-on bag he put through the security scanner.

Turns out the bag and firearm belonged to Meech's bodyguard, who was with the actor and told cops the gun was his. But, police ignored the bodyguard and busted Meech, accusing him of illegally carrying a firearm into the airport because he placed the bag onto the scanner belt himself.

Meech's powerhouse attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ ... he presented indisputable evidence to Broward County prosecutors that proved the bodyguard owned the pistol, including the purchase receipt, gun case and permit for the firearm.

Cohen also explained to prosecutors that Meech and the bodyguard share the same taste in luggage. As a result, Meech accidentally picked up the bodyguard's carry-on while they were rushing to catch a flight, and Meech's actual bag was accidentally left behind.

Young Thug and one of his YSL co-defendants are accused of pulling off a hand-to-hand drug deal while in court, during jury selection for Thug's RICO trial ... and it's all on camera.

Courtroom surveillance footage captured the moment Wednesday in Fulton County Court ... Kahlieff Adams walks over to Thug and clearly hands him an object. Aside from the cameras, at least 2 bailiffs were just a couple feet away, saw the whole transaction, and immediately nabbed Adams.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, a deputy later discovered the object was a baggie of Percocet pills. While Adams is a defendant in the YSL RICO case, he is already serving a life-without-parole sentence for murder.

Thug's lawyer Keith Adams, no relation, denies his client had anything to do with the drug deal, as the state claims in docs. He says Thug complied after being instructed to hand over the pills to the deputy,

BTW, when deputies searched Kahlieff they say he had more percs, marijuana, tobacco and other contraband wrapped in plastic and food seasonings to mask the scent of the weed. He was taken to a nearby hospital, because authorities suspected he swallowed other drugs in an attempt to conceal them.

Both Thug and Adams are being blamed for delaying court … not the best impression for Judge Ural Glanville, who's had his hands full with the case before it even got off the ground.

Brazilian soccer star Dani Alves was reportedly detained Friday in Spain ... where he's being held on sexual abuse charges.

Alves, 39, is accused of inappropriately touching a woman under her clothes without consent (in Spain, sexual assault can cover anything from groping to rape) in a Barcelona nightclub on New Year's Eve, according to reports.

The woman filed a report after the alleged incident ... and once local police were made aware of the situation, they took witness statements.

Alves -- a champion with several clubs, including Barcelona, Juventus and Paris-Saint German -- has denied any wrongdoing, claiming he's never even met the alleged victim.

"I would like to deny everything first," Alves said. "I was there, in that location, with more people, having a good time. Everybody knows that I love to dance. Having a good time, but without invading the space of others."

"I'm very sorry, but I don't know who that young lady is. I don't know who she is. I've never seen her in my life."

"Cheer" star Jerry Harris and Julie Chrisley are 2 names you'd never expect to see in the same sentence, but they're now sharing the same address ... in a federal lockup.

Here's the deal ... Harris, an ex-cheerleader from the Netflix hit series, was incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, last August -- and the "Chrisley Knows Best" star checked in there Tuesday.

It's a minimum security satellite camp -- it won't be confused with a SuperMax -- but that doesn't mean Julie and Jerry get to socialize in the yard. For obvious reasons, we're told the feds keep male and female inmates in separate sections of the facility.

As we reported, Julie was convicted last June for bank fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion, and got a seven-year sentence -- and despite the prison's name, she is not in need of any medical treatment.

Same goes for Jerry ... the BOP confirmed inmates are housed at FMC Lexington for both medical and non-medical reasons.

Jerry's attorney, Todd Pugh tells us his client is "doing well for someone who is in prison." He adds, Jerry has "acclimated himself to custodial life and is participating in every type of self-betterment program available."

Jacquees is sticking to his guns, and keeping Gunna on his Instagram timeline ... unlike Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Meek Mill and several other hip hop figures.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the self-proclaimed king of R&B Wednesday in NYC -- where he was rocking his lucky Marni fit -- and he tells us he's never been much of a follower in real life, except on the 'Gram.

And, he says that's why he's leaving Gunna in the mix of his 5.5 million IG followers.

Both Gunna and Young Thug collab'd with Jacquees on his 2019 single "Verify," and the singer wants Thug to be free just like the "Pushin P" rapper -- who, as you know, secured his freedom by striking a plea deal in the RICO case.

Gunna's been maligned by some of his peers since coming home in December, but Jacquees says he's focused on love and not street politics these days.

He recently dropped his new album "Sincerely For You" a couple weeks ago, with guest appearances from Future, 21 Savage, Summer Walker and Dreezy ... who's been a very frequent collaborator of his in the past.

Aldon Smith cut a plea deal in his DUI case on Thursday morning, TMZ Sports has learned ... and the ex-NFL star is now facing prison time over it.

The San Mateo County District Attorney tells us ... Smith agreed at a hearing in Northern California to enter a plea of nolo contendere to a felony charge of drunk driving causing injury.

In exchange, the court agreed it would not impose a sentence on him higher than 16 months in state prison.

The D.A. noted probation and a county jail sentence are also on the table for Smith following the plea agreement.

The 33-year-old is slated to learn his fate at a sentencing hearing in March.

As we reported, Smith was initially hit with two felony DUI charges in the case back in December 2021 ... after he was accused of driving drunk and slamming his GMC Sierra pickup truck into the back of a stopped vehicle on a freeway off ramp in Redwood City.

Officials said the collision caused injuries to the other driver's back, wrist, knee, leg and foot. They also said Smith told the alleged victim at the scene that he "cannot have cops there."

Prosecutors claimed Smith had a BAC of greater than .15 at the time of the wreck. Smith had first pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Alec Baldwin will be prosecuted for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on his "Rust" movie set.

Prosecutors in Santa Fe County, NM made the announcement Thursday morning that Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter. The film's head armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was also charged with involuntary manslaughter. Both face a maximum of 5 years in prison if convicted.

The Assistant Director, Dave Halls, has agreed to a plea deal for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon. He will get a suspended sentence and 6 months probation.

Interestingly ... no charges will be filed in connection with the non-fatal shooting of director Joel Souza, who was hit in the shoulder by the same bullet that killed Halyna.

Attorney Brian Panish, who represents the Hutchins family, tells TMZ, "We want to thank the Santa Fe Sheriff and the District Attorney for concluding their thorough investigation and determining that charges for involuntary manslaughter are warranted for the killing of Halyna Hutchins with conscious disregard for human life."

Panish goes on ... "Our independent investigation also supports charges are warranted. It is comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law. We support the charges."

It's interesting ... Halyna's widower, Matthew Hutchins, settled with Baldwin and the production and actually became an Executive Producer on the film.

In announcing the charges, the special prosecutor, Andrea Reeb, who was appointed by the D.A., said, "The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the 'Rust' film set. In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don't take our State's commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously."

Reeb said, "If any one of these three people - Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls - had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. It's that simple."

Alec has all along denied any wrongdoing, insisting all he did was follow instructions during a rehearsal where he was practicing how to position the pistol for a "cross draw" scene in a chapel ... as director Joel Souza and Halyna figured out camera angles.

He's also repeatedly said Halls, the assistant director, handed him the prop firearm (something Halls denies) and said it was a "cold" gun ... meaning it was unloaded and safe.

While Gutierrez-Reed, the lead armorer, was not in the chapel ... Alec has suggested she bears some responsibility, as it was her job to prepare and check the props.

Alec was visibly torn up on set immediately after Halyna was shot. However, in subsequent interviews he went on the defensive, saying it was a tragic accident for which he bore no responsibility. He also insisted he did NOT actually pull the trigger on that fateful day.

The FBI disagreed with Alec's assertion ... after testing the weapon, it issued a report which concluded the pistol would not fire without someone pulling the trigger.

Halyna's death was eventually ruled to be accidental -- the medical examiner found no intent to cause harm in their official report.

Still, Halyna's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Alec and others involved in the production, saying he directly caused her death and that he was negligent in his handling of the gun -- not to mention safety protocols on the set.

They ultimately settled the lawsuit in October, and agreed to complete filming "Rust."

Alec also sued four crew members -- Gutierrez-Reed, Halls, Sarah Zachry and Seth Kenney - claiming they failed to safeguard the film set.

Julie Chrisley serving time at the Federal Medical Center in Kentucky has nothing to do with any health-related issues, TMZ has learned ... despite heavy speculation about why she was moved there last minute.

Sources close to the Chrisleys tell TMZ ... Julie's move to FMC in Lexington is not an indicator she's getting any treatment, nor does she need any at this time.

The facility's described as a medical center with a nearby minimum security prison camp -- a rep for the Bureau of Prisons tells us Julie is serving time at that location.

The reason for Julie's change is unclear, but according to legal docs obtained by TMZ, Julie was originally designated to serve her time at FCI Marianna in Florida ... which would have been closer to Pensacola, where Todd's locked up.

Julie was reassigned to the Lexington facility just 8 days later.

Fans of the Chrisleys started to worry after the switch. Remember, she was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2012, but her condition improved enough that last year doctors said she could stop taking cancer-battling meds.

As we reported, Julie and Todd started their prison sentences Tuesday ... with Todd surrendering to do 12 years, while Julie will do 7 for their bank fraud and tax evasion convictions.

The San Francisco art gallery owner caught on video spraying a homeless woman with a hose was arrested Wednesday for the sickly act ... as the District Attorney called his actions "completely unacceptable."

Collier Gwin was taken into police custody Wednesday on an arrest warrant and charged with misdemeanor battery in connection with the despicable Jan. 9 incident outside his Foster Gwin Gallery.

The bust comes as a bit of a surprise. You may recall, cops initially said both parties chose not to pursue criminal charges, despite major public outcry for Gwin to face some type of punishment.

In any case, the city's District Attorney, Brooke Jenkins, announced that police decided to arrest Gwin after reviewing all the evidence.

Jenkins also said, "The alleged battery of an unhoused member of our community is completely unacceptable. Mr. Gwin will face appropriate consequences for his actions."

She added, "Likewise, the vandalism at Foster Gwin gallery is also completely unacceptable and must stop -- two wrongs do not make a right."

Funkmaster Flex thinks Gunna is full of oxymorons following his plea deal in the YSL RICO case, and recently spent a considerable amount of airtime shredding the embattled "Pushin P" rapper.

The Hot 97 vet lit up Gunna with jokes and slander Tuesday evening … noting how Gunna’s IG post calling for the law to "free" Young Thug contradicted statements Gunna made in court to secure his own freedom.

Despite taking shots, Flex also said he understood why Gunna confessed, and also shared advice from Jim Jones ... warning him to be leery of anyone willing to openly share incriminating information.

Earlier in the week, Flex tossed Tekashi 6ix9ine a radio life raft, and unbanned his music after shutting him out in 2021.

Brian Walshe, the husband arrested for the murder and dismemberment of his missing wife Ana, has pled not guilty.

Walshe appeared in Quincy District Court in Massachusetts Wednesday morning ... the day after prosecutors charged him with murder and improper handling and transport of human remains.

Prosecutors ticked off a laundry list of evidence they say proves Walshe killed his wife around New Year's Day before dismembering and disposing of her body. Among the evidence ... a bloody knife in the basement of their home.

Authorities also found a hacksaw, hatchet, rugs, and a COVID vaccine card with Ana's name on it at a nearby trash site -- in a dumpster taken from his mother's apartment complex.

And there's this ... prosecutors say Walshe searched the internet for information on how to dispose of a female body that weighs 115 pounds. And on their son's iPad, there were searches for "How long before a body starts to smell" and "How to stop a body from decomposing."

In addition to the other evidence, Walshe allegedly paid $450 in cash at a Home Depot -- where he's seen on surveillance video -- buying cleaning products, tarps and mops.

Before they married, Ana had contacted authorities, telling them Walshe threatened to kill her.

Walshe is being held without bail.

A barista working the drive-thru at a coffee shop in Washington state was almost yanked through the opening by a would-be kidnapper ... who seemed ready to tie her up.

The horrifying incident occurred early Monday morning -- around 5 AM, when this longtime worker says she was by herself -- in Auburn, during which a man in a pickup truck ordered something to go and cruised up to pay and get his java ... all of which was on camera.

Check out what happens as he's trying to give her cash with her hand extended -- the dude literally snatches her arm and makes and effort to pull her into his truck in one fell swoop.

Luckily, the woman was able to wiggle her way out of it and escape his clutches ... but the scarier part is what appeared to be in his other hand while doing this -- an instrument that cops have said looks like a black zip tie, which they suspect this man wanted to use.

He almost tries to go for her again, but decides against it ... dropping his money on the ground and slowly driving away after what police say was a failed abduction attempt.

It's a good thing this was on video, because Auburn authorities say they got a massive amount of public tips after posting this clip ... which helped them catch this guy about 24 hours later. Auburn PD says he's in custody, but it's unclear what charges he was booked on.

More marital issues for Marvin Gaye III, son of Motown icon Marvin Gaye ... his wife is seeking court-ordered protection after he got arrested for allegedly pointing a gun at her.

Marvin's wife, Wendy Gaye, beelined it to court Tuesday and filed for a domestic violence restraining order against her husband ... according to online records.

Wendy's filing comes on the heels of her husband's arrest.

TMZ broke the story ... Marvin III allegedly physically assaulted his wife and cousin during an argument inside his Calabasas home Thursday, and allegedly pointed a gun at both women.

Police surrounded Gaye's home and called for him to come out, but he had already left in his Corvette.

The next day, MG3 turned himself in to sheriffs and was booked on two charges ... misdemeanor domestic violence and felony assault with a deadly weapon. Gaye posted $50,000 bond and was released.

Billie Eilish is asking a judge for some protection, asking for a temporary restraining order against a man she claims allegedly broke into her family home earlier this month.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Billie's asking for protection against 39-year-old Christopher Anderson ... as well as protection for her parents and her brother, Finneas.

Billie's father says Anderson's visited their family house numerous times since late December, allegedly professing his love for the singer and hoping to meet her. She says cops were called 5 times, and they've made multiple reports.

Billie says these incidents caused her "substantial anxiety, fear, and emotional distress" over the safety of herself, her parents, and Finneas -- adding she doesn't feel safe visiting her parents anymore.

As we reported, cops responded to the Highland Park home earlier this month after receiving a report of someone scaling a fence to gain access to the property.

Tory Lanez might not be staring down a 22-year prison sentence if he'd hired renowned defense attorney Jose Baez during the trial ... at least according to Baez, who's feeling good about winning an appeal.

Tory's new high-powered lawyer -- who famously won an acquittal for Casey Anthony --  joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live," saying he's ready to go all out for Tory too, but, interestingly ... said he regrets the fact Tory didn't call him in for the trial.

While Baez wouldn't reveal too many specifics prior to going before the judge, he strongly insinuated there were things he would've done differently if he were repping Lanez during his trial for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.

That being said, he told us he's confident there were procedural errors made -- partly because it was a high-profile trial -- and that will be the foundation of Tory's appeal of the conviction.

As for how Tory's doing in jail while awaiting sentencing ... Baez says his client's never been convicted before, so he's never gone through anything like this, but says he's trying to make adjustments.

As we reported, Lanez pulled out all the stops last week, retaining David Kenner, Matthew Barhoma and Baez to work on his appeal.

Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley have now officially started to serve their lengthy prison sentences ... turning themselves in for lockup.

Todd reported Tuesday to FPC Pensacola in Florida, meeting his deadline to report to the minimum security prison camp -- where he's been sentenced to serve 12 years.

Meanwhile, Julie reported to a different federal prison in Lexington, KY at Federal Medical Center Lexington.

Remember ... Todd and Julie are serving time for their convictions in their bank fraud and tax evasion case. In November, a judge sentenced Todd to a dozen years behind bars, with Julie getting a 7-year sentence.

As we first told you, Todd's prison duds include green pants, green shirts, white socks and black steel-toed boots ... and the joint's got a strict daily schedule, beginning when the lights come on at 4:45 AM daily.