Nelly Arrested at Missouri Casino for Drug Possession, Lacking Car Insurance

Nelly was arrested at the Hollywood Casino in St. Charles for drug possession and lack of car insurance. (Image: Jamie Gilliam/The Photo Access)

Rapper Nelly was arrested at the Hollywood Casino in St. Charles, Missouri, early Wednesday morning, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP).

The rapper, whose real name is Cornell Haynes II, was charged with possession of four ecstasy pills and not having car insurance.

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Casino ID Verification Leads to Arrest

Nelly was arrested at 4:45 am after the casino ran an identity verification check in accordance with Missouri Gaming Commission regulations. A spokesperson for the MSHP told The New York Post that while several triggers can lead to a verification check, the police do not believe it was any criminal activity by Nelly that led to the check.

At that point, highway patrol officers already on site at the casino found that Nelly had an outstanding warrant for lack of car insurance from a previous stop, triggering the arrest. Officers then searched Nelly, finding the ecstasy pills on him.

After the arrest, the MSHP took Nelly, 49, to the Maryland Heights Police Department. There, he was arrested on a failure to appear warrant related to a traffic charge in Maryland Heights, police told NBC News in a statement. 

Police later released Nelly. He has not yet been charged, though the Post reported that prosecutors will consider doing so after police submit the relevant paperwork from the incident.

Neither Nelly nor his representatives have made any comment on the incident as of Wednesday night.

Rapper Found Success with Hit Singles, Married Ashanti Last Year

Nelly rose to stardom in 2000 with the release of his debut solo album, Country Grammar. That album produced two hits in the namesake single and “Ride Wit Me,” and was followed in 2002 by his second album, Nellyville. That follow-up included singles “Hot in Herre,” “Dilemma,” and “Air Force Ones.”

More recently, Nelly went on the road as the main support act for Janet Jackson’s “Together Again” tour in the United States. 

Earlier this year, he announced that he has secretly married Ashanti, whom he had previously dated from 2003 to 2013, in December. Ashanti announced that she was pregnant with the couple’s first child in April.

“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation,” Ashanti told Essence in announcing her pregnancy. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience.”

This is not the first time that Nelly has run into legal issues in recent years. In 2015, Nelly pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, being sentenced to one year of probation.

In 2017, Nelly was arrested on suspicion of second-degree rape near Seattle, Washington. Nelly was not charged in the case because the alleged victim refused to cooperate with police. Nelly was also accused of sexual assault in England related to a performance at Cliffs Pavilion in Westcliff-on-Sea. In 2019, it was reported that he had reached a settlement with the woman who made the assault allegation.