Rapper Nelly was arrested early Wednesday at a St. Louis-area casino, and the Missouri Highway Patrol said an officer found four illegal ecstasy pills on him. The rapper's attorney said an “overzealous” officer targeted him and conducted an improper search.
The arrest occurred about 4:45 a.m., and Nelly, 49, was held and then released by police in Maryland Heights, Missouri, the patrol said in a brief online report. The St. Louis suburb is home to the Hollywood Casino and Hotel, and Nelly's attorney, Scott Rosenblum said in a statement Wednesday evening that the rapper, who grew up in the area, visits it frequently.
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Online Missouri court records show that Nelly, whose birth name is Cornell Haynes II, was cited in June 2018 in Maryland Heights with operating a vehicle without proper proof of insurance. A judge issued a warrant in December 2023, and it remained outstanding.
Rosenblum said Nelly had won several casino jackpots and when he sought to collect them, the officer who would have supervised the transaction “needlessly” ran a search for warrants. Once the officer found the outstanding warrant, he cuffed Nelly's hands behind his back and “felt compelled” to “parade him through the casino in front of other customers," Rosenblum said.
Nelly's attorney called what the officer found “alleged ‘ecstasy’” and said the officer did not have probable cause to justify searching him. Nelly wasn't notified of the warrant and did not know about it, Rosenblum said.
“I am 100% confident this case will go nowhere,” Rosenblum said. “And we will be asking for an inquiry into this officer’s conduct.”
The Highway Patrol's report provided no details about the arrest, and Maryland Heights police did not respond to a call Wednesday seeking comment.
Rosenblum said that in similar circumstances, “any other citizen would have been told to address it and allowed to go on their way.”
Nelly, a three-time Grammy Award winner, is known for hits like “Hot in Herre” and “Just A Dream.” He’s had four No. 1 hits and received nine Billboard Music Awards. He recently wrapped up a series of performances with Janet Jackson as a special guest on her tour.
He won Grammy Awards in 2002 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Best Male Solo Rap Performance, and his “Nellyville” was nominated that year for both Best Rap Album and Album of the Year. He also won a Grammy the following year for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group the following year for “Shake Ya Tailfeather.”
Beyond his recording career, Nelly has appeared in a number of films and television series, including the sports film “The Longest Yard” and a BET reality series featuring his family. The artist announced in April he was engaged to singer and actor Ashanti and the pair is expecting a baby.
In April 2015, Nelly was arrested and faced felony drug charges in Tennessee after a bus he was traveling in was pulled over east of Nashville by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and was able to have his record expunged after less than a year of probation.
Nelly was also arrested in October 2017 in Auburn, Washington, south of Seattle, after a woman alleged he had sexually assaulted her on his tour bus. Rosenblum said then that the allegations were fabricated. The woman sued Nelly, who countersued, and they settled their legal claims in September 2018.
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Ballentine reported from Columbia, Missouri, and Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Also contributing was Kaitlyn Huamani in Los Angeles.