Nelly was reportedly arrested at the Hollywood Casino in St. Charles, Missouri, early Wednesday (Aug. 7) for drug possession and an insurance violation.
A source close to the situation says the hitmaker was detained at the casino — where he gambles and frequents as a performer — and was paraded through the venue in handcuffs after discovering a warrant from a six-year-old insurance infraction.
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According to the New York Post, Nelly — born Cornell Haynes Jr. — was arrested around 4:45 a.m. local time at the casino after an identification verification check was run on the 49-year-old.
Missouri State Highway Patrol flagged an “outstanding warrant for lack of insurance” from a previous traffic stop, which triggered a background check and search of Nelly where officers reportedly discovered him in possession of four ecstasy pills.
Nelly was brought into the Maryland Heights Police Department and booked but has already secured his release. AP confirmed that Nelly was charged for suspected illegal drug possession.
A mugshot has since gone viral in the hours following the arrest. Nelly is yet to face the charges, which will be up to the prosecutor’s discretion. KRCG was the first outlet to report the news of Nelly’s arrest earlier on Wednesday.
However, Nelly’s attorneys have denied that he was arrested on drug possession charges in a statement to Billboard, claiming he was targeted by an “overzealous” officer. “Mr. Haynes was not charged with drug possession,” attorney Scott Rosenblum declared. “He was arrested for ‘No Proof of Insurance’ from 2018 on a warrant issued December 2023 that he received no notice. Mr. Haynes was targeted by an overzealous, out of line officer.”
Rosenblum continued: “After winning several jackpots, at a venue where Mr. Haynes frequently visits and entertains at its amphitheater; instead of just supervising the transfer of Mr. Haynes’ winnings, this officer felt compelled to needlessly run a check for warrants. The officer informed Mr. Haynes a background check was mandated when a player won over a certain amount; Mr. Haynes knew this to be untrue as he had won several jackpots for similar or greater amounts including one just a week prior without incident or a background check. Once Mr. Haynes was informed of the warrant for a No Proof of lnsurance infraction, this officer felt compelled to handcuff Mr. Haynes behind his back and parade him through the casino in front of other patrons.”
Nelly’s attorney claims a search of his client was conducted “without probable cause,” which led to an alleged “ecstasy” discovery. “This officer then conducted a search without probable cause where he claimed to have found alleged ‘ecstasy’ in Mr. Haynes’ personal property,” he added. “Under similar circumstances, assuming there was an old warrant without any notice to the individual for no proof of insurance, any other citizen would have been told to address it and allowed to go on their way. It is also important to note, that Mr. Haynes, as part of the requirements to travel internationally, is regularly asked to supply proof of no warrants. Including FBI checks. There were none. I am 100 percent confident this case will go nowhere. And we will be asking for an inquiry into this officer’s conduct.”
Nelly will become a father again later this year when his fiancée Ashanti gives birth. The couple rekindled their romance last year after dating on-and-off for about a decade from 2003 to 2013 when they went separate ways for what they thought was for good.
“The growth has been like superb, you know, like on both ends,” Ashanti told Entertainment Tonight in June. “We are both at a place where like before, sometimes we would argue and walk out, slam the door, and not talk for a few days.”
Once the baby’s born, fans can expect Ashanti and Nelly to walk down the aisle and tie the knot at a later date. Ashanti will be a first-time mother while Nelly welcomes his fifth child.
