Chart-topping rapper Nelly was arrested at the Hollywood Casino and Hotel in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, local police said this week.
The “Hot in Here” performer was allegedly collecting casino jackpot winnings when a police officer attached to the venue asked staff to run a background check for outstanding warrants. They found one for a traffic violation, issued in 2018 in the same Maryland Heights neighborhood of St. Louis as the casino.
Nelly was arrested and a search of his car revealed four MDMA, or ecstasy, pills, a schedule 1 controlled substance. He was also charged with possession.
Nelly’s lawyer, Scott Rosenblum, told DailyMail.com that the rapper, real name Cornell Haynes II, was not treated with proper legal conduct and the charges would not stick.
“Once Mr. Haynes was informed of the warrant for a “No Proof of Insurance” infraction, this officer felt compelled to handcuff Mr. Haynes behind his back and parade him through the casino in front of other patrons,” Rosenblum said.
“I am 100% confident this case will go nowhere. And we will be asking for an inquiry into this officer’s conduct.”
The Arrest and Charges
Nelly grew up around the St. Louis area and is known to frequent the Hollywood Casino and Hotel, operated by Penn Entertainment.
The million-selling rapper is a general fan of gambling. Recently, he took part in the opening of the new poker room at the Venetian Las Vegas.
This week, he was trying to claim a casino jackpot when a past charge for driving without proof of insurance caught up with him. The citation was issued in 2018 and a judge issued a warrant in 2023.
Rosenblum says that the warrant should not have been a big deal, and in most circumstances a person would have been told to settle the citation (possibly even from the casino winnings) and then be allowed on their way.
In this case, the officer apparently deemed that the warrant justified a search of Nelly’s car, which was where they found the ecstasy. Rosenblum said the office did not have probable cause for a vehicle search.
It is unclear what occurred after the arrest, and when or if Nelly will appear in court over the charges. It is unclear if he was allowed to claim his jackpot win at the time, and how much it was.
Nelly’s Rap Sheet
This incident, or the traffic fine that led to it, was not Nelly’s first brush with the law. In April 2015, the “Ride wit Me” rapper was arrested and sentenced on drug charges in Tennessee, for which he served one year probation.
In 2017, he was arrested once again in connection with a sexual assault allegation in the Washington town of Auburn. The woman alleged Nelly assaulted her in his tour bus after a gig in nearby Seattle. But she later dropped the charges.
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
