Olivia Jade Confronted About Admissions Scandal ... I Understand How Wrong It Is

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I COP TO THAT
RED TABLE TALK

Olivia Jade's breaking her silence on the college admissions scandal in which she and her parents became the poster family for white privilege ... and it ultimately landed her mom and dad in prison.

Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli's youngest daughter joined Jada Pinkett Smith's crew on "Red Table Talk" to address the elephant in the room -- her family's involvement in the massive college bribery ring that became national news last year.

At one point during Olivia's sit-down -- which included Willow Smith and Jada's mom, Adrienne Banfield-Jones -- Adrienne confronted Olivia, asking if she could understand why so many people were upset with her family.

Olivia says she gets it, and it's helpful for her to hear so she can better understand the problem. She also seemingly admits her family used their means to gain an advantage ... which, of course, is the heart of the issue for many people.

The popular YouTube influencer's full interview will drop Tuesday. Olivia said she felt comfortable discussing the scandal at the 'Red Table' because "it feels really safe," adding ... "but it also feels honest and it feels like we’re gonna all lay it out here and it’s gonna be an open conversation." Jada platform's becoming a go-to place for celebs in crisis.

As we reported ... Olivia's parents both took plea deals for their roles in the admissions scandal, which included paying fixer Rick Singer $500,000 to help her and her older sister, Isabella, get accepted into USC.

Part of the scheme included creating a bogus resume for Olivia ... making it look like she was a member of a rowing team so she could get a spot on USC's crew team. There were even action shots taken of both Olivia and Bella practicing their "rowing."

Remember, Olivia posted back in 2018 that she didn't even want to go to college ... other than for game days and partying. Olivia hasn't spoken about the scandal ... until now.

As we reported ... Lori was sentenced to 2 months in prison after pleading guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Mossimo pled guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and 1 count of honest services wire and mail fraud and was sentenced to 5 months behind bars.

If all goes according to plan, Olivia's mom will be released around Christmas time, and her dad will be out in the spring.

MLB Umpire Arrested In Sex Sting Operation ... Mug Shot Released

MLB umpire, Brian O'Nora, was arrested in a sex sting operation in Ohio this weekend ... after officials say he tried to solicit a prostitute online.

57-year-old O'Nora -- who's been an MLB umpire since 2000 -- was 1 of 14 alleged "Johns" who went online seeking to illegally purchase a sex act, according to police.

But, O'Nora didn't get sex ... instead, he got nailed by the Liberty Township Police Department, which was working with a task force that specializes in busting human trafficking operations.

Details of what exactly went down during the sting operation are unclear -- we're working on it -- but O'Nora and the others were all arrested and charged with misdemeanor soliciting and misdemeanor possessing criminal tools.

"John stings deter those seeking to purchase sex -- reducing the demand for human trafficking -- and serve as a reminder that these crimes are more prevalent and closer to home than you may think," Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said Monday.

The whole case rings similar to sex stings involving New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, and pro golfer Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey.

As for O'Nora, he went viral back in 2013 when he was hit in the neck by a pitch ... but still made a "ball four" call despite being in serious pain.

O'Nora has been assigned to cover an MLB All-Star Game on 3 occasions during his umping career ... and he also worked the 2012 Giants vs. Tigers World Series.

We've reached out to the MLB -- but they declined to comment at this time.

White Suspect vs. Cops Standoff Vid White Privilege Looks Like This ... Says Michael Eric Dyson

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PRIVILEGE ON DISPLAY
TMZ.com

The wild body cam footage showing a white suspect threatening to shoot a cop -- not once but TWICE -- is a stark illustration of white privilege according to author Michael Eric Dyson.

Michael joined "TMZ Live" Monday and didn't mince words about the body cam video of a tense standoff with cops in Ohio, and as he put it ... "You and I both know that had that been a motorist of color that motorist would have been dead."

ICYMI ... the video shows Merak Burr, who is white, refusing to get out of his car, flaunting a handgun on the seat next to him, and even threatening to shoot the cops!!! And, having done all of that, Burr was still able to defy the cops and drive away ... without getting shot.

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"I'LL SHOOT YOU!"
Genoa Township Police Department/Facebook

Michael told us the incident highlights a point he makes in his new book, "Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America" ... which is that white privilege has little to do with wealth, and everything to do with the color of someone's skin.

Michael makes it clear ... he's glad Burr's confrontation didn't end violently but certainly wishes non-white people also got the same treatment.

It's easy to argue ... had cops given Jacob Blake the same treatment in Kenosha, Wisconsin as Burr got in Ohio, Jacob would not be paralyzed today. Remember, Jacob was shot 7 times in the back as he tried to get into his vehicle. He was unarmed but cops said they recovered a knife from the driver's side floorboard in Jacob's car.

Michael says had Burr been a person of color instead, the outcome would have likely ended in what ultimately would have been determined as a justified shooting ... and that's gotta end.

Tom Brady & Gisele Home Intruder Was Laying On QB's Couch ... Cops Release Mug Shot

UPDATE

8:06 AM PT -- THE BREAK-IN SUSPECT HAS A HISTORY OF TOM BRADY-RELATED CRIME!!!

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Just last year, Cineus was arrested for stealing a Tom Brady jersey from the New England Patriots Hall of Fame exhibit in Foxboro.

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Officials said at the time Cineus allegedly tried to stuff the uniform under his shirt -- along with a glove from the exhibit -- and make a break for it.

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UPDATE

But, cops busted the man when he SLIPPED during the attempted theft -- giving police time to move in and apprehend him.

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Cops say Cineus was wearing the stolen jersey under his jacket when they found him.

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7:53 AM PT -- More info from the cops ... who have identified the suspect as Zanini Cineus, a 34-year-old homeless man.

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Officials say officers located Cineus in the basement of the home -- where he was "laying on the couch in the middle of the room."

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UPDATE

Cineus is facing multiple criminal charges -- including breaking and entering, entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony, attempted larceny and trespassing.

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Officials also say Cineus has "several active warrants out of Wrentham District Court stemming from incidents that occurred in Foxboro, MA late last year."

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One last thing ... in a press release issued by police, they refer to Brady as "our forever New England Patriot."

Cops in Massachusetts arrested a man who allegedly broke into a mansion owned by Tom Brady and Gisele ... but the superstars haven't lived there for months.

The Brookline Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports ... 1 suspect was taken into custody on suspicion of breaking and entering at 5:55 AM.

Cops say the suspect set off multiple house alarms -- plus, private security spotted the intruder ... so police raced over.

We're told responding units were given an access code and located the suspect in the basement area. He was arrested without incident.

The suspect, whose name hasn't been released, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning.

Tom and Gisele reportedly bought the property back in 2013 -- and built the home from the ground up. It was completed in 2015.

The 12,000-square-foot estate is sick -- 5 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms with a rec room, gym, wine room, spa AND an outdoor organic herb/vegetable garden.

The couple put the place up on the market in late 2019 for $39.5 million -- but then cut the price to $33.9.

They reportedly took it off the market for a while -- but recently decided to try their luck again privately, off-market ... so, it's currently up for grabs.

Of course, Tom and Gisele have moved to Tampa Bay, Florida -- since TB12 left New England to play for the Bucs.

Originally Published -- 7:08 AM PT

Wild Body Cam Video Nutcase Threatens to Shoot Cop ... White Suspect Flees Scene

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"I'LL SHOOT YOU!"
Genoa Township Police Department/Facebook

Newly released body cam video of an insane police stop -- where the suspect threatens to shoot a cop -- shows both restraint by the officer and how wildly different traffic stops can be based on the color of a suspect's skin.

The incident went down a few days ago in Ohio, when Officer Mike Sigman and his K9 Ben showed up to help the Ohio State Highway Patrol during a traffic stop. The driver, Merak Burr, was instantly uncooperative. Cops notice there's a gun in his vehicle ... a loaded, Beretta 9MM semi-automatic handgun on the front passenger seat.

-- He refuses to put his hands on the steering wheel

-- He refuses to get out of the car

-- He puts his hand on his gun

-- He twice threatens to shoot the cop

-- He closes the car door and speeds away

Officer Sigman exercised incredible restraint, but it's impossible not to think about case after case where a Black suspect is shot and killed for being way less threatening than the nutcase behind the wheel.

The fact that he threatens to shoot the officer several times and then lowers his hands to shut the door and then speeds off ... well, as they say, that'll get you killed.

In the end, cops chased down the fleeing car and arrested the guy.  He's been charged with improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon.

NBA's DeMar DeRozan Chases Off Home Intruder After Man Came Face-to-Face with His Kids

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5:53 PM PT -- DeMar DeRozan has confirmed our story, and had a short and sweet response to the situation.

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UPDATE

When reporters asked him about the attempted burglary, he simply said ... "Yeah, everything good. I grew up in Compton, CA -- I've been through worse."

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There you have it!!! Tough dude right here.

Scary moment for NBA star DeMar DeRozan ... who chased an intruder out of his L.A.-area home after a terrifying encounter with his kids, TMZ Sports has learned.

Our sources tell us ... the man broke into DeRozan's home on Nov. 19 and made his way upstairs into a play area where at least one of DeMar's kids was hanging out.

We're told 31-year-old DeRozan -- who's 6'6", 220 pounds -- heard the commotion and raced to the area to see what was going on, coming "face-to-face" with the intruder in the process.

Our sources say DeRozan then "chased the man out of his house."

Law enforcement sources tell us the man fled the area -- before returning to DeRozan's gated community a short time later.

When the alleged intruder attempted to get back in to the gated community, security stopped him and called police.

According to our sources, the suspect told cops DeRozan's home was not his intended target -- he was trying to get to Kylie Jenner's home but made a mistake.

As we previously reported, the man was eventually arrested and has been charged with 1 count of felony burglary.

He's also been hit with a restraining order -- prohibiting him from getting anywhere close to DeMar's home and Kylie's home.

DeMar's not the first celeb to have issues with home security in a gated community, you'll remember a man scaled the hill behind Kendall Jenner's home a few years ago ... Kris Jenner also had a man break into her community several times.

Originally Published -- 1:00 AM PT

Kylie Jenner I Need Protection From Alleged Burglar

Kylie Jenner says a man who was recently busted for burglary in her gated community has it out for her ... and she's run to court to get protection.

Kylie beelined it to court Friday and filed legal docs seeking a restraining order against a man named Justin Bergquist. Law enforcement sources tell us Bergquist allegedly broke into a home in Kylie's neighborhood last month, left without taking anything -- but came back and tried to get inside the gates again.

We're told security stopped him the second time and called the cops, and he told officers he was there to see Kylie.

Our sources say it's unclear if Bergquist mistakenly thought the first home he allegedly broke into was Kylie's ... but in any event, he was arrested for burglary and trespassing.

Court records show Bergquist was charged with burglary, and he's due back in court next month after pleading not guilty in his criminal case.

Story developing ...

TikTok Intrusion Suspect In Ice Custody

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UNEXPECTED BREAK-IN
TikTok/ Hrviverette
UPDATE

11:15 AM PT -- Hannah's attorney, Symone Redwine, tells us, "Hannah is extremely relieved to know that Angel was been detained and that she has been released from her lease. She continues to search for safe, affordable housing and looks forward to continuing therapy and beginning self-defense class."

UPDATE

9:44 AM PT -- ICE tells TMZ ... officers arrested Rodriguez-Gomez near his home Thursday for immigration violations after Hagerstown PD released him on bail following his arrest for burglary, assault and other criminal charges. ICE says he's an unlawfully present Mexican national and officers served him with a notice to appear for immigration proceedings.

The man who busted into a woman's home while she was recording on her TikTok is now in custody of immigration officials ... TMZ has learned.

The suspect, Angel Moises Rodriguez-Gomez, was hauled off by ICE agents from the Baltimore Field Office, and authorities let Hannah Viverette know her intruder was back in custody Thursday ... Hagerstown PD tells TMZ.

As we reported ... Rodriguez-Gomez was hit with 2 counts of burglary, second-degree assault, stalking and malicious destruction of property, but he bailed out of jail after his arrest and currently lives in the woman's building.

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STILL IN DANGER
TMZ.com

Hannah told us she's frightened to live in the same housing complex as Rodriguez-Gomez and is desperate to find a new home. Fortunately, the company managing her building tells us she can break her lease with no penalties.

She can also rest a little easier knowing the guy's in ICE custody and not roaming free, but it's not clear if he's getting deported.

Originally Published -- 9:17 AM PT

TikTok Intrusion Victim Fearful and Moving Out ... Allowed to Break Lease

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STILL IN DANGER
TMZ.com
UPDATE

7:51 AM PT -- Good news for Hannah -- she's being allowed to break her lease with no fees or penalties.

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The company managing the apartment building tells us Hannah's December rent will also be waived, and she'll get her security deposit back if she vacates her unit before Dec. 24.

Hannah Viverette -- the woman whose TikTok recording captured the moment a man allegedly busted into her home -- says she's now stuck between a rock and a very scary hard place due to the ordeal.

Hannah tells us the man who was arrested for stalking after entering her apartment Sunday night still lives in her building. He bailed out of jail after his arrest, and she says his eviction date is still a couple weeks away.

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UNEXPECTED BREAK-IN
TikTok/ Hrviverette

Hannah says she's frightened to live there and has been staying in a safe place since the incident -- but she's desperate to move out for good and find a new permanent home.

Problem is, she claims her apartment complex in Maryland won't allow her to break her lease -- and says she's already dealing with enough hardship as a single mom who lost her job due to the pandemic.

Her attorney, Symone Redwine, tells us she believes what happened to Hannah is grounds for her to immediately terminate her lease without penalty ... and she's talking to the complex to try to make that happen.

As we reported ... Angel Moises Rodriguez-Gomez was charged with 2 counts of burglary, second-degree assault, stalking and malicious destruction of property.

Hannah tells us she also filed for a restraining order a few days after the incident because she was told it would help expedite the process of him getting kicked out of the building. She says his eviction date, as of now, isn't until mid-December.

We reached out to the housing complex, but no word back so far.

Originally Published -- 12:40 AM PT

Keith Appling Ex-NCAA Hoops Star Gets Probation In Heroin Case

Ex-Michigan State basketball star Keith Appling -- who led the Spartans to the Elite Eight in 2014 -- was sentenced to 18 months probation, stemming from a heroin arrest back in February.

Cops say the 28-year-old was stopped in Warren, Michigan on Feb. 8 after officers spotted his car weaving all over the road.

After he was pulled over, cops say Appling appeared sweaty and woozy -- so they searched the vehicle, and turned up 19 grams of heroin (about the size of a golf ball) in a sandwich bag.

Prosecutors believe Appling intended to sell the heroin.

The former hoops star was charged with "delivery or manufacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance" -- and pled guilty to the charge back in October.

Appling appeared in court Monday over Zoom -- where he was sentenced to 18 months probation.

The terms of his probation include no drugs or alcohol, he must be employed 30 hours a week and must complete a treatment program, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Appling was one of the best high school basketball players in the country back in the day -- he was named Michigan's "Mr. Basketball" in 2010 as the state's top player.

He spent 4 years at MSU where he became one of the top players in school history. He had a cup of coffee in the NBA in 2016, but has since been playing overseas.

'Pocahontas' Star Irene Bedard Arrested Twice in Three Days ... Drunken Episodes, Cop Say

Irene Bedard, the actor who voiced Pocahontas in the Disney film, is way too familiar with the back of a police car after what cops call 2 wildly-drunken incidents over 3 days.

Her first arrest went down at Irene's ex-husband's house in Beavercreek, OH -- where cops responded to a possible domestic violence situation on Friday night. According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, officers found the actress with a belt in her hand.

Police claim Irene, who is Native American, said something to the effect of, "Look, they sent the white man to come get me!" The report also says she appeared incredibly intoxicated, reeked of booze and had trouble standing straight.

Her ex told cops Irene showed up pounding on his door and when he let her in, she started yelling at their 17-year-old son ... and allegedly kicked him as he tried to restrain her. Cops claim that continued as she kicked and screamed while they tried to get her into their cruiser.

BPD notes her son didn't want to press charges and just wanted his mom to get help -- but they took her to the station and booked her for domestic violence, assault and resisting arrest.

She posted bond ... but a few days later, on Monday, Irene was arrested again when Beavercreek PD was summoned to a hotel where Irene was allegedly harassing the front desk clerk.

The officer on that case says he tried talking Irene down, but again she appeared wasted and was combative. So much so, he claims she charged at him, and he had to pin her down to cuff her. Cops also say it took several officers to drag her into jail.

The second time around, Irene was only booked for disorderly conduct before she was released, once again, without bail.

We've reached out to Irene. So far, no word back.

Disturbing Video Woman Tased by Cops in Spain ... Police Say She Assaulted Medical Staff

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THE INTENSE ARREST

A woman in Spain could only scream and writhe in pain after getting tased by cops ... and it's all on video.

The incident went down in the town of Sabadell -- about 30 minutes north of Barcelona -- where police whipped out their Tasers after they say the woman kicked officers while resisting arrest following an alleged assault on medical workers, a crazy chain of events that begins with her violating COVID rules.

The woman admitted to breaking virus protocols by trying to bring her mother to her doctor's appointment and also copped to kicking the cops, but she says she only kicked because police used excessive force when they tased her in broad daylight before stunned bystanders.

The police, meanwhile, stand by their use of the Taser ... again, claiming she assaulted staff at the doctor's office and gave a cop a kick while resisting arrest.

It's a pretty intense video ... and the woman needed a hospital trip for her injuries and spent the night in jail after being booked for assault.

COVID rules are driving people nuts ... and not just in America.

Police Brutality Man Filming Police Claims He Got Punched ... Wants Cop Charged!!!

The man arrested while recording cops as they stopped a Black driver claims he got punched by his arresting officer ... and he wants the cop canned and charged for assault and battery.

Joe Bennett's attorney, Sam Aguiar, insists his client did absolutely nothing wrong when he recorded the incident Friday in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, and calls the actions of Officer Cruz "deplorable and unlawful."

Waiting for your permission to load the Facebook Video.

According to the lawyer ... when Joe refused to hand over his ID, the cop punched his face in a "fit of rage" and caused his eye to close and blacken.

Aguiar says of the altercation ... "If Officer Cruz was able to snap so quickly in this situation, there is no telling what else he has done in situations where there was actually provocation. Cruz’s actions are demonstrative of a loose cannon who lacks regard for the constitutional protections of citizens."

As we reported ... Joe was actually charged with resisting arrest and menacing in the incident, but his legal team thinks this is outrageous, and the cop is the one who should be charged.

Joe's legal team's calling for Officer Cruz to be dismissed from the Jeffersontown PD and hit with assault and battery charges. They also want Joe's charges dropped.

As for the internal affairs investigation the police dept. says is underway ... Aguiar's demanding a transparent report once it is complete. Joe's lawyer says, "This type of conduct cannot be allowed to happen without severe accountability."

Police Misconduct Cops Attack, Slug Man Videotaping Police Stop

UPDATE

9:45 AM PT -- Police Chief Richard Sanders tells TMZ, his Dept. is conducting an internal affairs investigation into the incident, and the officer involved in the incident has been placed on administrative leave pending the results. The Chief would not comment on the words the officer used to allegedly say he was suspected to be the getaway driver -- as you hear in the video, the cop tells Bennett he was "involved" but doesn't say involved in what. The Chief added, "I don't think he was involved [in bank fraud] but that's what I'm trying to find out."

A man who was videotaping cops who stopped a black driver was ordered to stop taping, and it ended with the guy getting assaulted.

Waiting for your permission to load the Facebook Video.

Joe Bennett was driving home in Jeffersontown, Kentucky when he saw a number of police cars swarm a car. Bennett decided to live stream the stop on Facebook ... as he said, he was doing his "due diligence as a citizen."

Joe is at least 50 feet away, and maybe further, saying "I just wanted to observe, so I tried to give them distance."

He actually says the video is "the most boring live video ever," when at the 3-minute mark a cop walks ominously toward Bennett and orders him to stop filming, coming up with an excuse that it's a crime scene investigation -- as if that's a justification.

Bennett refuses to stop, so the cop asks for his ID. Now, technically, if a cop asks for ID -- even if the request violates the law -- you're supposed to comply, but Bennett says he did nothing wrong so he refuses. That's when the cop attacks, grabbing for Bennett's phone and slugging him.

A police official told Spectrum 1, "Officers were in the area investigating and making arrests related to a check fraud scheme thwarted at the Citizens Union Bank across the street from the McDonalds." What's unclear ... cops reportedly say a suspect claimed Bennett was the driver in the check fraud scheme. You do hear the cop say, "you are involved," but Joe tells us he was never told he was being accused of a check fraud scheme.  "You're involved" could mean he's involved because he's videotaped the stop.

Joe tells TMZ the citation says, "Officers were investigating a case where fraudulent checks were being cashed at a local bank. Officers were informed that there was a gray Jeep involved. Officers were told that the gray Jeep was picking up offenders after they attempted to cash the fraudulent check. This officer was informed that the above subject [Joe Bennett] at which time was standing on the side of his vehicle was the driver of the gray Jeep. Officer approached the subject and asked him for identification. Subject refused. Officer told the subject he was named in the investigation and the subject still refused to identify himself. Officer attempted to put handcuffs on the subject before things escalated. Subject tensed up and started to pull away. Officer delivered one empty strike to the subject and took the subject to the ground."

Bennett says he was cited for resisting arrest and menacing. Bennett tells TMZ officers cleared him at the scene in the check fraud scheme.

We reached out to the police department ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 6:01 AM PT

'AGT' Kid Magicians Arrested by Louisiana Cops ... For Refusing to Live with Mother

A brother and sister who gained fame on "America's Got Talent" with their magic act probably wish they could have disappeared during a tense confrontation with cops ... because they got arrested for refusing to live with their mom.

The teenage siblings, Kadan and Brooklyn Rockett, were arrested last week in Farmerville, Louisiana after refusing to go with police who were trying to return them to their mother. A Missouri judge ordered the handoff in the ongoing custody battle with their father.

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IN CUFFS

We're told the arrest stems from a 2019 Missouri court order requiring the kids to split their time with their mom and dad... and law enforcement sources tell us they had paperwork authorizing the handoff. Our sources say the kids have been living with their dad in California for years, but have refused to see their mom.

In the video, the teens say they're afraid of their mother and don't want to go back to her, but cops say they have no choice. The kids refuse to comply, so the cop begins reading them their Miranda rights and slaps the cuffs on 15-year-old Kadan. 13-year-old Brooklyn -- who's sobbing during the arrest -- was also cuffed.

Our sources say the siblings were in Louisiana for their grandmother's funeral, so that is how the mother knew where they would be in order to send the police to pick them up.

Law enforcement sources tell us the children were held at the Green Oaks Detention Center in Monroe overnight to await a court hearing the next morning.

It's unclear exactly what went down at the hearing because the judge ordered it to be sealed, but we're told Kadan and Brooklyn were released back to their father ... at least for now.

The Rockett parents have been divorced since 2009, but the nasty custody battle has been ongoing. There was a similar incident with the kids and a Missouri judge in October 2019.

We've reached out to the kids' mother ... so far, no word back.

Kadan and Brooklyn were semi-finalists on 'AGT' in 2016 who wowed the judges with their magician skills.

Joe Exotic Sends Thanksgiving Wishes ... Now Lobby Congress and Get Me Outta Here!!!

Joe Exotic is making a plea to Americans -- enjoy Thanksgiving, and then tell your rep in Congress to pressure the Prez to spring him from the big house.

Joe wrote a long Thanksgiving message, telling folks to enjoy Thanksgiving Day but on Black Friday ... " ... please think about the last 3 holidays I have spent in here while all the people that lied to put me here and the people that made money off of films, products and so on with the people that put me here under false pretense enjoy their freedom and their families during the Holidays."

That said, Joe then makes his pitch ... "Please pick up a phone on Monday and call your congressman and ask everyone you know to support asking President Trump to sign my Pardon and make this right so I don’t have to miss another Christmas without my loved ones just as you wouldn’t want to. I would love for some of you that has the power to pick up a phone and contact some pretty influential people to do so, so I could go home before something happens to my father or Dillon."

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we're pleading with you trump
TMZ.com

TMZ broke the story ... Joe's legal team traveled to D.C. recently to file their pardon application, and the team leader, Eric Love, says they've been getting encouraging words back from folks in the seat of power.

Trump's in a pardoning mood ... he just spared Michael Flynn from serving his prison sentence.

Eric says he's grateful to Trump and even suggests he and Joe have a lot in common ... he's asking for a pardon, and stat.

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PARDON THE TIGER KING
TMZ.com

As for Joe, he says, "I have faith in my President," adding, "Those of you who work day and night to get me home, I will owe you my life ... I have faith in my God that some how some way this will end."