Rapper Nelly arrested in St. Louis for previous traffic charge, accused of illegal drug possession
Nelly attends the 65th Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles
(CNN) — Rapper Nelly was arrested early Wednesday morning at a St. Louis casino relating to an active warrant for a previous years-old traffic charge, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol.
During a search at the time of the arrest, authorities say they found the musician to be in possession of four pills that were believed to be ecstasy.
Nelly’s lawyer Scott Rosenblum said in a statement to CNN that the musician was “targeted by an overzealous, out of line officer” who “conducted a search without probable cause.”
“I am 100% confident this case will go nowhere,” Rosenblum added. And we will be asking for an inquiry into this officer’s conduct.
Nelly, whose birth name is Cornell Haynes II, was arrested at 4:45am Wednesday in St. Louis by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, according to online records.
The arrest took place at the Hollywood Casino, Maryland Heights Police Department PIO Terry McComas told CNN. McComas said the previous charge was “failure to appear on an old traffic charge of no proof of insurance in Maryland Heights, MO.”
According to court records, Nelly’s previous traffic charge, for lack of insurance, took place in 2018.
Police said that during the arrest, they found four pills, which “a preliminary investigation tentatively identified” as ecstasy.
In their release, Highway Patrol said Nelly “was transported and released to the Maryland Heights Police Department. Formal charges for felony possession of a controlled substance will be submitted to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.”
As of Thursday afternoon, the prosecutor’s office told CNN that it has not yet received an application or record for any charges.
Earlier this year, the “Hot in Herre” artist made headlines when he simultaneously announced his engagement to singer Ashanti, and that the rekindled pair were expecting a baby.
Ashanti and Nelly confirmed in September 2023 that they were reunited as a couple, 20 years after they were first linked together in a relationship that ended after a decade.
CNN’s Jennifer Feldman and Lisa Respers France contributed to this report.
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