Singer Nelly walks away free from all charges with extra dough to spare from that night!
The prosecutors from his August arrest declared that they would not be issuing any charges after thoroughly reviewing every evidence related to the case.
Nelly was taken into custody by the police for drug possession in the middle of a $50k slot win celebration at a machine in a Missouri casino where he was a regular customer. The singer’s mugshot from the night of the arrest went viral on the internet hours after he was paraded in handcuffs.
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Nelly Will Not Be Going To Court For His Possession Of Ecstasy
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson said they will not raise any charges against the celebrity, adding: “We don’t believe the facts in this case warrant the issuing of charges.”
The singer’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, further clarified that “Wesley Bell, the prosecuting attorney, and his office looked at all the circumstances and, after a fair and impartial review of the evidence, declined to prosecute.”
TMZ broke the news of his arrest in August at his favorite Missouri casino on a warrant from 2018. He was ferried to jail after the police discovered four ecstasy pills and was overzealously paraded “through the casino in handcuffs,” according to his lawyer.
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The Former BET Star Received His Thousand Dollar Jackpot Win Before Heading To Jail
According to his attorney Rosenblum, Nelly’s arrest did not get in the way of collecting his 50k jackpot earnings. The Blast reported that the artist won the huge sum at the Hollywood Casino in St. Charles.
His lawyer argued that his arrest was activated when he won the cash prize, as it attracted the arresting officer, who claimed they needed to run a background check before handing him the cash.
Rosenblum noted that his client had won larger amounts at the exact location without going through the hassles of a background check. However, he still showed cooperation by agreeing to the investigation.
To Nelly’s shock, the background check disclosed that he had an active warrant running from 2018 for a traffic stop violation.
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The warrant led the arresting officer to conduct a closer search of Nelly’s bags, where they found Ecstasy. However, his attorney explained that prosecutors were yet to charge him with drug possession.
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The Hip-Hop Artist Sold Off His Music Catalog A Year Before The Arrest
The $50k win seemed like a quick cash grab for the artist as he finalized a massive deal with HarbourView Equity Partners to sell part of his iconic music catalog containing 50% of his recorded music.
The catalog, worth $50 million, included some of his greatest hits, including “Ride Wit Me,” “Dilemma,” featuring Kelly Rowland, and “Hot in Herre.”
Nelly released a statement on the sale. In his words: “As artists, we put our heart and soul into each track, and there comes a time when you consider preservation of that artistry.”
The excited artist described his music as his legacy, which he wants to outlast and keep making his existing fans happy “while reaching new generations and new audiences.”
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The ‘Dilemma’ Rapper Has A Controversial History With Law Enforcement
The casino incident is not Nelly’s first run-in with the law. The Blast shared that he was arrested on drug-related charges in 2001 in St. Louis after he was caught carrying a small amount of marijuana.
Nelly was held in jail briefly before getting out of prison, and he stayed out of trouble with the law until 8 years later, in 2009, when he was arrested during a traffic stop in Sierra Blanca, Texas.
The authorities also reportedly discovered methamphetamine and a loaded gun alongside the marijuana on his tour bus. Like his August arrest, he also narrowly escaped drug possession charges but was flagged for having contraband in his vehicle.
Nelly Was Named In A Rape Lawsuit Eight Years After His 2009 Contraband Case
The superstar was arrested and charged with second-degree rape in October 2017 after a woman named Monique Greene accused him of assaulting her on his tour bus. The cops noted that the star had performed at the White River Amphitheater in King County hours after the call was made.
Nelly was booked for investigation following the allegation but was released a few hours later without charges being filed, according to his attorney, Rosenblum.
Greene claimed she was a 22-year-old college student when the assault happened. Her account joined two unnamed women in England who accused the singer of the same actions. Nelly denied all the allegations but settled with the accuser in 2018.
Nelly can now focus on raising his new baby with partner Ashanti following this new development!
