Crime & Arrests

Jussie Smollett's taking extreme measures to avoid being seen, but everybody's gotta eat ... so we caught a glimpse of him walking into a Chicago restaurant.

We're told Jussie arrived at Eddie V's Prime Seafood Thursday night around 9:30 in a black SUV -- very similar to the one he took from jail last week, along with some of his siblings and security.

The "Empire" star kept his head down under the hood of a large winter coat as he hustled in, and stayed about an hour.

Our sources say Jussie's been hounded by media and hasn't been able to stay at his own apartment since the mob scene last week when he was released, so he's been hunkering down at a swanky hotel.

Clearly, he's trying his best to keep a low profile.

As we reported ... Jussie's been charged with disorderly conduct for filing a false police report in what Chicago PD's Superintendent called a "publicity stunt."

Smollett maintains he was attacked and denies orchestrating a hoax.

Meek Mill fanboy'd HARD after congratulating Tom Brady on winning the Super Bowl ... 'cause the QB messaged him back with compliments of his own ... and the rapper is still geekin' out about it!!!

The Philly rapper detailed his private social media convo with TB12 while speaking at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston on Friday ... saying he reached out to Brady to praise him for being the G.O.A.T.

But, what happened next caught Meek by surprise, 'cause Brady responded -- praising the rapper's mental toughness through Meek's controversial stint at a Pennsylvania state prison.

"I didn't know Tom Brady knew who I was, I just took a shot, and he was like 'I seen you been through so much,'" Meek says.

Meek says Tom added, "'What you went through was kinda like, almost harder than winning the Super Bowl game, bro.'"

Meek -- who was speaking about criminal justice reform with his friend and REFORM Alliance co-chairman, Michael Rubin -- says Brady praised his activism and says what he's accomplished in the world of prison reform is way tougher than winning 6 Super Bowls COMBINED.

21 Savage just got a big break in his deportation case ... the D.A. has rejected the felony case against him involving a concert promoter who claims he took $17,000 without performing.

TMZ broke the story ... 21 was booked to play a club gig in Southern Georgia back in 2016. He got the $17k but never performed -- he wanted the singer who was up before him to get off the stage and, when the DJ refused, 21 bailed. The promoter got a warrant but never pursued it, until 21 was back in the news after getting arrested by ICE. She then went to the D.A. to jump-start her case.

The D.A. passed it off as a civil matter and rejected the case.

The federal R. Kelly investigations are expanding -- agents specializing in human trafficking cases have now reached out to Kelly's former stylist, who has ties to a couple of the singer's exes.

Sources close to celebrity stylist Kash Howard tell TMZ ... Dept. of Homeland Security agents contacted Kash Wednesday and wanted to schedule a sit-down with her. It appears the call was prompted by a video that popped up all over YouTube this week.

In the video, Kash is behind the wheel of a car with 2 of Kelly's ex-girlfriends, Halle Calhoun and Vonecia Andrews, as they talk to a media outlet about their relationships with the singer. Vonecia, aka Vee, was sobbing throughout the video, which our sources say Kash recorded last year.

We reached out to Kash, and she says, "Mr. Kelly hired me as his personal Fashion Stylist where I provided wardrobe direction for concerts, album cover shoots, and special appearances. Our professional relationship along with all communication ceased in March of 2017."

She also tells us she was only in the video because she was offering moral support to Halle and Vonecia.

As for Kelly's legal battle, Kash says, "Mr. Kelly faces very disturbing charges. And while I have never personally witnessed any wrongdoing, I support those in search of the truth."

TMZ broke the story ... the feds have 2 separate U.S. Attorney's Office investigations going, and will meet with Joycelyn Savage's parents, who say they have "physical evidence" to turn over.

We're told DHS also reached out to the Savages, and agents are in contact with Kash's attorney to set up the meeting with her.

Kelly's attorney, Steven Greenberg's reaction to the investigation is ... "That’s their job. But just because they are looking into something, certainly nobody should conclude that they have any evidence of any wrongdoing or a crime was committed.”

12:50 PM PT -- The Ravens announced they have cut Alex Collins.

Baltimore Ravens running back Alex Collins was arrested following a car crash near the team's practice facility ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Cops say the RB is still in custody ... but charges have yet to be filed against the 24-year-old star.

We're told Collins crashed into a tree at 6:48 AM ET Friday in the 10000 block of Dolfield Road in Owings Mill, Maryland ... a mere mile from the Ravens' Under Armour Performance Center facility.

The Ravens tell us they've spoken with police and are aware of the situation.

Collins was a stud for Baltimore after they picked him up shortly after he was cut by the Seahawks in 2017 ... rushing for 973 yards and 6 TDs in 15 games.

But, this past season, Alex battled injuries ... and was placed on IR in December before the team really made its playoff push with Lamar Jackson under center.

Still, Collins managed to rush for 411 yards and 7 TDs despite only playing in 10 games.

Collins -- a former Arkansas superstar -- was picked by Seattle in the fifth round in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Jussie Smollett being attacked in a hate crime sounded fishy and far-fetched from the jump -- according to a guy who has no love for the "Empire" actor -- Milan Christopher.

The ex-"Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood" star and model tells TMZ ... he believes the "Empire" star's alleged attack was an elaborate plot to grow his brand, and it's actually working -- at least on social media.

Milan -- who is gay -- says he smelled a rat from the get-go, especially because Jussie's story changed so much ... and every gay black man will now feel the consequences.

Milan is also incredulous that Jussie referred to himself as "the gay Tupac."

Christopher has obvious issues with Jussie, whom he called out earlier this week on Instagram, saying ... "let me tell y'all a little story about an evil jealous black gay man I once met."

He insinuated Jussie tried to torpedo his career and block him from scoring a role on "Empire." Milan said, "This insecure jealous queen did everything in their power to keep me from expanding my brand and having a new platform that would empower my reach & expand my 'Empire.'"

Milan later deleted the post, but judging from the video ... there's still some bad blood.

Ex-college football star Shawn Oakman -- once projected to be a 1st round NFL Draft pick -- was found not guilty in his sexual assault case.

The former Baylor defensive end appeared in court Thursday to wrap up the 3-day trial -- in which the 26-year-old was accused of forcibly raping a woman in 2016, after a night at the bars.

As we previously reported, the accuser claimed Oakman brought her back to his place after meeting at a bar and forced her into his bedroom, tore her clothes off and raped her.

Oakman told police the sex was consensual -- claimed the two had been in a sexual relationship -- and denied any wrongdoing. The accuser claimed they never dated.

When the verdict was read inside the Waco courtroom, his family members cheered -- and Oakman strutted out of the building with a big smile on his face.

Oakman was facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Oakman was a consensus All-Big 12 selection as a junior and a 3rd team All-American. He's also Baylor's all-time sack leader.

Oakman was arrested in the rape case in April 2016 -- days before the 2016 NFL Draft.

Instead, Oakman signed a contract with the Bismarck Bucks of the Champions Indoor Football League -- where he racked up 50 tackles and 2 sacks in 12 games in the 2018 season.

Now that the case is over, it's possible NFL teams will want to give him a workout before the 2019 season -- and he's technically a free agent because he went undrafted in 2017.

BlocBoy JB is handling a slew of criminal charges head-on -- cops in Tennessee say he turned himself in peacefully Thursday morning.

The Memphis MC was busted on multiple charges ... according to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. You'll recall authorities over the weekend said BlocBoy was wanted for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun and for theft of property.

Since the cops put out the alert on him, the rapper posted several videos on Instagram ... which certainly made it seem like he was NOT planning on going easily. It's unclear who or what convinced him to surrender.

BTW ... BlocBoy became a huge deal in February 2018 after dropping his hit single, "Look Alive" ... featuring Drake.

Super BTW ... BB's "Shoot" dance -- which went viral after appearing in the track's popular music video -- is the subject of a lawsuit against Fortnite.

12:10 PM PT -- Demaryius Thomas is addressing the accident for the first time, telling TMZ Sports ... “Over the past several days I have had time to really think. It saddens me that I caused pain to those whom I love most.”

DT's rep added ... "Demaryius is extremely remorseful for exceeding the speed limit which led to the automobile accident in Denver, February 16th. Demaryius is taking full responsibilities for his actions and ensures that nothing like this will ever happen again!"

NFL wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was arrested Wednesday night for "vehicular assault" -- in connection with a February 16 crash in Denver, authorities say.

Officials say Thomas was driving at speeds exceeding 70 MPH in a 30 MPH zone -- which not only qualifies as reckless driving, but also felony vehicular assault.

If convicted on the felony charge, Thomas faces up to 3 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Officials say they conducted an investigation into the crash using "information from the vehicle and preliminary speed analysis" to confirm Thomas was traveling at over 70 miles per hour.

Thomas is listed on the police report as 6'3", 230 pounds.

We've obtained DT's mug shot -- you can see Thomas suffered a left eyeball injury.

As we previously reported, the 31-year-old ex-Broncos star was driving around Denver around 12:20 AM. We spoke with witness Michael Tafoya, who said he lost control of his car, hit a curb and rolled 3 times before landing in a grassy median.

Cops and emergency personnel arrived to the scene a short time later and took over -- managing to free Thomas and his 2 passengers.

Cops say all 3 people in the car were transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for injuries. One of the passengers suffered serious bodily injuries as a result of the crash.

A witness tells TMZ Sports ... Thomas seemed to be fine other than a "hellacious knot" on his head.

Feds investigating R. Kelly are about to get their hands on "physical evidence" against the singer ... courtesy of the family of one of his alleged victims.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Joycelyn Savage's parents are set to meet with federal investigators in New York to discuss matters related to 2 separate U.S. Attorney's Office probes into Kelly -- one by the Eastern District of NY, and another by the Southern District.

We're told the Savages will provide information on witnesses and those closely associated with Kelly ... AND turn over materials they refer to as "physical evidence." Our sources don't know exactly what that evidence includes.

The sources do say both federal investigations are "progressing very quickly" ... thanks to cooperation and testimony from several people, including Michael Avenatti and some of his clients.

As for what the feds could pin on Kelly -- we're told it could involve the Mann Act, which prohibits the transportation of minors across state lines for purposes of sex or debauchery.

TMZ broke the story, Joycelyn's parents also want to confront Kelly at his Chicago Trump Tower apartment in hopes of getting through to their daughter.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is set to be arraigned in his prostitution case on March 27 -- the same day NFL owners will be gathering in Phoenix for the annual league meeting.

Palm Beach County court records show the arraignment date has been set. The official NFL website says March 27 is the final day of the Annual League Meeting, where owners discuss important topics ranging from rule changes to the national anthem policy. Kraft was at the event in 2018.

Court records show 77-year-old Kraft was "arrested" on February 26 by the Jupiter Police Dept. -- but sources connected to the case tell us the word "arrested" is misleading because Kraft was never taken into custody.

Instead, we're told Kraft's attorney accepted service of a court summons for his arraignment -- and that action was entered into the system as an arrest.

As we previously reported, Kraft is being charged with 2 misdemeanor counts of soliciting another for prostitution for allegedly paying for sexual services at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida.

According to officials, Kraft went to the massage parlor on January 19 where he paid for services from 2 women. Cops say he went back the very next day and paid for another sex act.

Officials say the incidents were captured on surveillance video -- including the graphic sex acts.

For his part, Kraft has denied any wrongdoing.

If convicted, officials say Kraft faces up to 1 year in jail.

Cops say they also have surveillance footage of Kraft entering and leaving the massage parlor -- where he was picked up and dropped off by a driver in a blue Bentley.

The day after officials announced the case against Kraft, he was spotted in Beverly Hills at a pre-Oscars party ... not looking concerned at all.

He later flew back from L.A. to Boston on a private jet with Tom Brady and Gisele ... and again, didn't appear to be too concerned about the case against him.

Officials say Kraft was not the main target in the prostitution sting -- but rather one of at least 100 men who patronized the massage parlor.

Instead, cops say their main focus was on the women who were allegedly masterminding a state-wide prostitution ring in which they're accused of importing women from other countries and putting them to work as sex slaves who essentially lived in terrible conditions in various massage parlors.

The three guys who allegedly robbed Safaree Samuels at gunpoint -- in plain view of surveillance cameras -- have just been indicted.

Shawn Harewood, Tacuma Ashman and Carl Harry were all slapped with a 7-count indictment ... including armed robbery in the first degree and unlawful possession of a gun in the second degree. They were also charged with 1 count of resisting arrest ... after crashing their car and fleeing on foot.

TMZ broke the story ... Safaree was held at gunpoint in April 2018 and robbed of more than $180k in cash and jewelry. The men had allegedly been tracking him for some time before it all went down in a parking garage. What's worse, one of the alleged thieves is someone Safaree knew very well.

R. Kelly could soon come face-to-face with the family of one his alleged "sex slaves" at Chicago's Trump Tower -- but only if they can get a posse of law enforcement to watch their backs.

Gerald Griggs -- an attorney who reps Joycelyn Savage's family -- tells TMZ he and the family are actively working with prosecutors in Illinois to conduct a new welfare check on Joycelyn at Kelly's Trump Tower pad.

Griggs says the Savages believe Joycelyn is living there, too, along with Azriel Clary. Both women were at R. Kelly's court hearing over the weekend, supporting him.

Griggs says Chicago PD conducted a welfare check in January, but he doesn't trust they did a thorough job. He says the fam wants one done when they can be there to witness it.

The Savages ultimate goal hasn't changed -- they're hoping they can somehow get through to Joycelyn and convince her to leave Kelly.

However, they're also afraid for their own safety, because they say R. Kelly's associates have threatened them. For that reason, Griggs says they're requesting assistance from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. Basically, they want backup as protection from Kelly's people.

It's unclear if Cook County will oblige. We've got a call in, but no word back yet.

8:03 AM PT -- A spokesperson for the Indiana Gaming Commission tells TMZ Sports ... officials were called to investigate Jones for possible cheating at a table game.

When they responded, Jones became verbally combative and disorderly and was placed under arrest.

More trouble for Pacman Jones ... this time the NFL star has been arrested at a casino in Indiana -- and it seems like a carbon copy of a 2015 incident.

Officials confirm the 35-year-old was arrested at the Rising Star Casino early Wednesday morning for disorderly conduct, resisting law enforcement, public intoxication and intimidation.

He was booked into the local jail around 3 AM. We've got the mug shot and we're continuing to work on details. He's still being held in jail with no bond.

Back in 2015, Jones was escorted out of the Hollywood Casino in Indiana after getting into it with a casino employee. Security got involved and called police, and Jones was removed from the building.

TMZ Sports obtained footage from the 2015 incident showing police walking Jones off the property. You can hear him say in the video, "Where I'm from, if I ain't threatening you, if I ain't do s**t to you, then I ain't disorderly conduct."

Prosecutors ultimately decided NOT to move forward with charges in that incident.

Jones was arrested again in 2017 -- when cops say he got violent at a Hyatt hotel and then spit on a jail staffer. Cops released footage from that arrest which showed Pacman telling an officer to "suck my d*ck" and "I hope you die."

In 2013, he struck a woman in a nightclub incident (he was found not guilty).

In 2011, he was arrested for disorderly conduct while intoxicated and resisting arrest.

He was also arrested in 2005 ... and 2006.

Pacman was also attacked in 2018 -- when a person who worked at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta confronted the NFL player in front of his wife.

Pacman knocked the dude out cold in a brawl captured on video.

Jones has played in the NFL for 14 years -- most recently, he played with the Denver Broncos. He played 7 games with the team in 2018 before being released in November.

Before that, he had a run with the Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2015.

Jones has reportedly made close to $40 million during his NFL career.

YNW Melly tried hatching an elaborate scheme to trick cops into thinking his buddies were killed by someone other than him and a pal -- at least, according to cops.

According to YNW's booking report out of Miramar, FL -- obtained by TMZ -- the rapper's friend, Cortlen Henry, drove to an ER in the wee hours of Oct. 26, asking for help for his two friends in his car, whom he claimed had been shot in a drive-by.

Cops say that the victims -- Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr. -- were pronounced dead at the hospital. They were both shot in the head, torso and back. Police say it was a grisly scene ... blood splattered about the car.

Cortlen told police he and his two pals had just wrapped a late night studio sesh, and as he was pulling off the freeway ... a car pulled up on his driver's side and opened fire. Cops confirm there were 8 bullet holes along the right side of the vehicle -- where Williams and Thomas sat. Cortlen escaped injury.

As police investigated Henry's account, they found forensic evidence leading them to believe he lied and was covering up a very different murder.

Cops say they found a shell casing inside the vehicle, along with 8 matching shell casings in a different location, where cops think YNW and Henry shot up the car to make it look like a drive-by.

Cops say the initial shot was fired from inside the vehicle -- not outside, as Henry claimed -- and originated from the left rear passenger side of the car, which is where they say they later discovered YNW had been sitting.

Police say surveillance footage from the recording studio shows YNW, Henry, Williams and Thomas getting in the car to leave. YNW got into the back left seat.

Cops say after Williams and Thomas were shot, YNW and Henry drove around with the dead bodies "for a period of time" before driving to the hospital. Henry later told police YNW was, in fact, in the same car with them ... but exited at some point and got in another car.

Something else that doesn't help YNW ... a documentary about his life and career, that cops say they watched ... which "glorifies his use and possession of firearms." Oh, and he's also got a song called "Murder On My Mind." It's dark stuff.

Ty Dolla $ign's scored a huge win in his Georgia drug possession case -- his record will be wiped clean, IF he keeps his nose clean for the next few months.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, Atlanta prosecutors struck a deal last week with the rapper: he'll enter an online drug prevention program, and lay off weed and Rx drugs ... then all charges -- 2 felonies and a misdemeanor -- will vanish.

Georgia calls it the Second Chance program, and we're told it typically lasts 13 weeks. Ty will also be subject to random drug testing during the program.

You'll recall ... an Atlanta grand jury indicted Ty after cops busted him back in September, allegedly finding pot and cocaine in his bag.

Sources connected to the case tell us the deal was struck after Ty's attorney, Steve Sadow, met with prosecutors to point out weaknesses in the case.