Los Angeles residents are used to seeing high-speed car chases on the local news, but the coronavirus pandemic has changed everything ... so this will have to do.
A paddleboarder was arrested in Malibu Thursday after he disobeyed the Coast Guard's order to get out of the water ... according to law enforcement. We're told there were other people in the ocean who complied and paddled in, but the rogue paddleboarder just kept paddlin' ... so L.A. County sheriff's got in their patrol boat and zeroed in.
The man chose to stay in the water near the pier for more than 30 minutes before swimming to shore, where he was arrested for disobeying lifeguard warnings and violating California Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order, which is a crime.
The paddleboarder now faces a maximum of 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine for his stunt.
As we've reported ... beaches closed in L.A. last week after many residents simply couldn't stay home and comply with social distancing rules.
Besides that, a leading scientist warned that the SoCal ocean water is one of the riskiest places to be when it comes to catching coronavirus, but clearly ... some people still aren't scared.
The Florida pastor who got hauled in by police for hosting a megachurch service despite quarantine and stay-at-home orders has FINALLY done the right thing ... he's closing the congregation.
The Tampa-area minister, Rodney Howard-Browne, is shutting his church down and will not hold another packed Sunday service. He explained the decision on his own podcast/telecast and his reasoning is pretty interesting.
RHB says he's closing the church to protect his followers from what he says is a "tyrannical" government, NOT the rapidly spreading and dangerous coronavirus.
The pastor also says he and his congregation have been the target of death threats ... and he's blaming the media for blowing the story out of proportion, while throwing the sheriff under the bus.
COVID-19 is playing a role in RHB's decision though ... he says he doesn't want protesters showing up who might be infected with the virus.
It's an interesting decision from RHB ... Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared churches an essential function, making them exempt from the stay-at-home mandate.
RHB's lawyer, Patrick Leduc, tells TMZ ... before the governor came out with the order, RHB had already made his decision not to hold the Sunday service out of respect for the authorities. The governor's order took them both by surprise.
RHB says he doesn't want anyone in his congregation to get arrested ... and he's telling them all to stay away from the church this Sunday.
Thousands of inmates in California prisons will be released early as officials fear overcrowding could spark a deadly outbreak of the coronavirus.
The move comes in the middle of a pandemic as the nation desperately tries to get a handle on how to stem the disease. Fact is ... jails and prisons are breeding grounds for the virus, with conditions that are often filthy and way too many people packed inside.
Officials hope accelerating parole dates for 3,500 inmates serving terms for nonviolent crimes -- and people due to be released within 60 days -- will help slow the spread of COVID-19, not just to inmates, but those who work within California's 35 prisons. And the other reality ... if inmates get infected, get released and then interact with others ... well, you know the rest.
Then there's this ... the state has blocked the transfer of county jail inmates to prison, according to the L.A. Times. That decision alone will keep 3,000 additional people out of the state's prison system. What's more ... nearly 600 inmates will be moved out of dorms -- home to bunks with close proximity and shared sinks/showers -- and moved to other prison facilities.
As we first reported ... jail inmates feared the worst as early as March 6. An inmate getting out of L.A. County Men's Central Jail said he experienced deplorable conditions while locked up for carjacking. Another inmate told us no one from the jail told the inmates anything about coronavirus or how to prevent it. A lot has changed in a matter of weeks.
3:45 PM PT -- Jon has just broken his silence on the situation ... saying he's "disappointed" in himself for letting people down.
UPDATE
Here's the full statement issued through Jon's rep Denise White:
UPDATE
"While we all work to understand and cope with stress and uncertainties surrounding the current state of our world, I want to express how truly disappointed I am that I have become the source of a negative headline again, especially during these trying times."
UPDATE
"I am disappointed for letting down the people I care about the most, my family, friends and my fans. This morning I entered into a plea deal with the Albuquerque DA's office. I accept full responsibility for my actions and I know that I have some personal work to do to which involves the unhealthy relationship I have with alcohol."
UPDATE
"I have dedicated so much time and energy to improve my community, and I will not allow this personal setback to hinder my work within the community when we need it most. I truly appreciate the support I have received from the community of Albuquerque and all my fans around the world. I very much look forward to putting this behind me."
UPDATE
"Thank you all for your continued love and support and please take care of yourselves."
UFC superstar Jon Joneshas pled guilty to driving while intoxicated stemming from a March 26 arrest in New Mexico, officials tell TMZ Sports.
The reigning UFC light heavyweight champ has struck a deal with prosecutors in which he agreed to 1-year supervised probation. The sentence has not yet been approved by a judge but that's just a matter of time at this point.
As part of the deal, Jones will serve 96 hours in a community custody program -- which is a form of incarceration, but not in a traditional jail cell. We're told it's similar to house arrest. He will wear an ankle monitor, which allows authorities to make sure he doesn't leave his residence unless he has permission.
Officials say Jones will be ordered to "complete a minimum of 90 day out-patient treatment, maximum fines and fees, community service and all other requirements of reporting to probation."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials are allowing Jones to participate in the outpatient program via video conferencing.
As for the community service, Jones must complete 48 total hours.
Jones must also install an ignition interlock device in any vehicle he operates -- which requires him to complete a breathalyzer (to test for alcohol) before the car will start.
"His attorney and Mr. Jones have been made aware that if he fails to do this, the State will seek to impose the balance of any jail time without regard for any exceptional circumstances," officials say.
Get this ... officials WILL allow Jones to use marijuana during his probation, as long as he has a valid medical card.
As we previously reported, Jones was arrested around 1 AM on March 26 after cops responded to reports of gunfire in the Albuquerque area.
When cops found Jones alone in his Jeep, he appeared intoxicated and admitted to drinking earlier in the evening.
As for the other charges, which include negligent use of a deadly weapon and open containers, those will be dropped in exchange for Jones' guilty plea on the DWI.
1:57 PM PT -- Aaron tells us Melanie informed him she's pregnant right before they got into the argument that led to her getting arrested. He says he thinks she's lying ... and there's no chance they're getting back together.
Aaron Carter's girlfriend, Melanie Martin, is under arrest after police investigated an alleged fight between the couple at the singer's home ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the L.A. County Sheriff's Department was called to Aaron's Lancaster home around 11 PM Sunday night for a domestic violence call. We're told there was a verbal spat between Aaron and Melanie and at some point it got physical.
Cops say Aaron had visible marks on his body and sheriff's deputies determined Melanie was the aggressor and arrested her for felony domestic violence.
Aaron claims during the alleged physical altercation, Melanie scratched him -- and he claims these photos show the damage she did. Cops confirmed Aaron had visible marks when they arrived at the house.
According to records, Melanie is still in custody and being held on a $50,000 bail.
Chael Sonnen says he's straight up "baffled" by Jon Jones' recent DWI arrest -- telling TMZ Sports it's about time he STOP DRIVING once and for all.
The two have history -- Chael famously fought Jon back in 2013 (Jon won in a 1st round stoppage) ... and they've had a cordial relationship ever since.
So, we asked "The Bad Guy" for his thoughts and he didn't hold back.
"It's baffling. You look at this guy, and this guy is blessed in so many ways. Great family, not just mom and dad, but the brothers and his own internal family, his kids, his career, he’s a handsome guy, charming guy."
"You look at him, there’s nobody that can beat him except for him. Every wound he has is just self-inflicted and that’s just hard. It's to the point where you just grab him and go 'hey man, there's people that care, there’s another way.'"
"Man I gotta tell ya, it just seems like if he would just get the Uber app, it just seems like so many of his problems would go away," Sonnen says.
"I sit back like anybody else and read, Jon and I don't have the best relationship, but I've known Jon for a number of years, I've competed with Jon, I've done stuff with Jon. But I observe Jon, more than anything I can observe him from the outside. And I'll just tell you, it would just seem like if he didn't just get behind the wheel."
"So many of his problems, which are self-inflicted by the way, would not exist."
As for Chael, he's staying REAL busy during the pandemic -- in fact, he's promoting a HUGE Submission Underground event on March 29th, live on UFC Fight Pass.
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"Juwanna Mann" star Miguel A. Nunez Jr. really didn't want to pay for hundreds of dollars of groceries ... at least according to cops, who say he gave himself the ole five-finger discount.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the actor was checking out at an L.A. Ralphs supermarket this week when his credit card got declined, so he just took his groceries in his cart and walked right out the front door without paying.
Pretty bold move ... allegedly.
Our sources say Miguel returned to the same Ralphs a few days later, but he wasn't allowed inside and cops were called. We're told Miguel was placed under citizen's arrest, and when LAPD showed up, police cited him for misdemeanor shoplifting and he was sent on his merry way.
Cops arrested Miguel but didn't take him into the station ... they gave him a ticket and he was on his way. During the pandemic, L.A. cops are not booking and jailing people for minor offenses. Cops still call it an arrest.
Miguel's spinning a different tale ... he tells us he was in a long line to check out -- ya gotta stay 6-feet away from folks because of coronavirus -- and he got tired of waiting and bounced with his items, but intended to return another day to pay.
Miguel says he tried to pay for his $200 worth of groceries when he returned, but claims the store manager told him no and that he wasn't special.
Guess Juwanna Mann just doesn't have pull these days.
Jon Jones told police he had vodka before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep Thursday morning -- and needed to get out of the house because he was going '"stir-crazy" during the coronavirus pandemic.
It's all on police body cam footage from Jon's DWI arrest in Albuquerque, New Mexico ... with the UFC superstar calmly trying to explain to officers why he drank and then drove.
"I literally just got stir-crazy," Jones said ... "I just wanted to have a drive. This is my first drive in 2 weeks. And, I saw these homeless guys. I was being nice to them, having conversation with them, treating them like humans.”
During the stop, Jon said he has "really bad" short-term memory -- and blamed it on the fact he's a UFC fighter who gets "punched in the head" for a living.
"My short-term memory is really bad."
Jones was given multiple field sobriety tests including balancing, counting and reciting the alphabet. It did not go well. He struggled mightily.
Jones was ultimately arrested and booked for aggravated driving while intoxicated, negligent use of a deadly weapon and possession of an open container.
As we previously reported, cops say he fired a black handgun at some point during the evening -- which is why they were called to the scene in the first place.
Cops say they found a gun and a half-empty bottle of booze in Jon's car while searching the vehicle.
While officers are putting Jon in the car, he's overcome with emotion and begins to weep -- telling the officers, "I'm scared for my family."
At one point, Jon tells one of the officers, "I love you guys so much. I actually wanted to be a police officer when I grew up."
R. Kelly's got NO business getting out of jail -- regardless of the coronavirus -- according to the family of his GF, Joycelyn Savage.
The Savage family's attorney, Gerald Griggs, says ... if Kelly is released, it would place Joycelyn "back into the hands of a predator." Not only that, but the family claims it would also put her at risk to potentially be infected by COVID-19.
Joycelyn's family says it believes the best option for her is to continue to "socially and physically distance herself" from Kelly, adding that he is "right where he belongs" -- penned up in Chicago MCC while he awaits trial in Illinois federal court.
We broke the story ... the disgraced singer asked to be released from jail over fears he could be infected with the coronavirus. He wants to be released on bond and says he's willing to wear electronic monitoring.
However, Kelly says he'd live with Joycelyn at an apartment complex in Chicago if he gets out, but clearly ... that's the last thing her family wants to see happen.
For the record ... Kelly has not tested positive for COVID-19, and Joycelyn has not had any contact with her family since a confrontation outside a courthouse in January.
Another one of Kelly's alleged victims, Lisa Van Allen, had an even stronger reaction to his request for release. She tells us, "This isn't Monopoly, there is no get out of jail free card! Not for an infected toe or for a pandemic! You do the crime, you do the time, just like the rest of the inmates!"
She added, "Put your grown man pants on and deal with it like the rest of the world is doing! He's where he needs to be. What better place to quarantine than in jail."
6:56 AM PT -- 3/26 -- We've just obtained Cirko's mugshot.
UPDATE
12:03 PM PT -- The woman has been arrested and charged with felony counts of terrorist threats, threats to use a "biological agent" and criminal mischief. She was also hit with misdemeanor counts of criminal attempt to commit retail theft and disorderly conduct.
UPDATE
Cops say the woman, Margaret Cirko, entered the store and made verbal threats she was sick while intentionally coughing and spitting on merchandise. She then attempted to steal a 12-pack of beer from the store before being ordered to leave by employees.
UPDATE
Her bail has been set at $50,000 ... she'll be in court April 8.
A vile woman purposely coughed all over a grocery store's fresh produce, resulting in a huge waste of food and rotten day for its employees ... and the authorities are pursuing charges.
According to the co-owner of Gerrity's Supermarkets, Joe Fasula ... the woman -- who he calls a "chronic problem in the community" -- entered the store in Hanover Township, Pennsylvania Wednesday afternoon and began hacking on all the fruit and veggies ... along with a small section of the bakery and meat case.
Fasula believes the woman did this as a "very twisted prank" amid the coronavirus pandemic, but she left the store no choice but to throw out all the food she came in contact with ... for obvious health and safety reasons.
The owner believed the lady's sick stunt cost the store about $35,000 worth of product, not to mention forcing workers to clean and disinfect everything along with the health inspector ... and possible COVID-19 exposure to customers and at least 15 employees.
Fasula says the silver lining is the Gerrity's team was able to remove the terrible prankster quickly and contacted police. He says the case is with the District Attorney's Office ... and it's pursuing "numerous charges."
Federal law enforcement recently announced it's considering terrorism charges for anyone purposely spreading COVID-19 ... it's unclear if this disgusting woman has coronavirus, though.
R. Kelly's latest pitch to be released pending his trial in Illinois federal court centers on his fear -- like most Americans - of coming down with COVID-19.
The disgraced singer's attorney, Steven Greenberg, filed a motion Thursday in which he refers to coronavirus spreading around the world, and the health risks he believes he's facing while penned up in Chicago MCC. "No matter what steps they take the sanitation will be substandard, the risk of an internal pandemic at the MCC is great."
Kelly says social-distancing is near impossible in the jail, soap is only available to inmates who can afford to buy it from the commissary -- and don't mention hand sanitizer. He claims there's just ONE large bottle on the visiting floor ... but it is labeled, "STAFF ONLY."
He says forcing anyone to remain under these conditions is "tantamount to making them drink poison."
Kelly wants to be released on bond, and says he's willing to wear electronic monitoring -- although he notes it's not really necessary, because during the current pandemic he's a "low risk" to go outside at all.
As for where he'd live -- Kelly says he'd shack up with his last remaining girlfriend, Joycelyn Savage, at an apartment complex in Chicago.
TMZ broke the story ... Kelly's legal team was blocked from visiting him in prison last week and it was all due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Kelly's lawyers had wanted to check on his health while also discussing strategy, given his ever-growing legal mess.
In the new docs, Kelly points out that keeping his attorneys and other visitors from entering doesn't solve the problem of possible exposure ... because there's always new inmates entering.
As we reported ... Kelly -- currently behind bars in Illinois as he awaits his trial -- recently got slapped with a slew of new charges by federal prosecutors in NY. The new indictment is related to 2 new alleged victims, one of whom was under 18 when she claimed she had sex with the singer in 2015.
The indictment includes charges of coercion and enticement, coercion of a minor and transportation of a minor across state lines. Kelly's also been hit with new racketeering charges including allegations he used "force, threats of force, physical restraint and threats of physical restraint."
UFC superstar Jon Jones was arrested for DWI and a gun charge in New Mexico Thursday morning, TMZ Sports has confirmed.
Cops say they responded to reports of gunfire in Albuquerque at around 1 AM -- and when they arrived at the scene, they found Jones inside a 2019 Jeep with the engine running and the car in park.
Jon denied firing a gun -- but officers say he appeared intoxicated (bloodshot, watery eyes and reeked of booze) and conducted a field sobriety test, which he allegedly bombed.
He also took a breathalyzer, twice, and registered over the legal limit both times.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, cops say they found a black handgun and a half-empty bottle of tequila behind the passenger seat.
He was arrested and booked for aggravated driving while intoxicated, negligent use of a deadly weapon and possession of an open container.
We're told Jones was booked and released and has a bond arraignment court date set for April 9.
We're also told the probation Jon got in his strip club slap case had ended on Jan. 8.
Jones has been arrested for drunk driving in the past -- back in 2012, he pled guilty to DUI after crashing his Bentley into a pole in upstate New York.
Jon has spoken publicly about his issues with substance abuse -- including cocaine -- and it seemed like he was winning the battle.
Jones is widely considered the best MMA fighter of all time -- and he's the current UFC light heavyweight champion with victories over stars like Dominick Reyes, Daniel Cormier and Rampage Jackson.
8:02 AM PT -- TMZ's confirmed Middlebrook is a small-time actor, with roles like a cop in "Iron Man 2" and a coach in "Moneyball." He also has a large social media following ... including 2.5 million followers on Instagram.
UPDATE
FBI agents say they nailed a coronavirus snake oil salesman -- a SoCal man who allegedly claimed he had a cure, and used Magic Johnson's name to try to snare investors.
Ya just knew this was bound to happen ... the FBI arrested Keith Lawrence Middlebrook Wednesday evening in an undercover sting. The feds say Middlebrook delivered pills to an agent posing as a potential investor.
He allegedly claimed to have developed a "patent-pending cure" that would prevent people from getting infected, and also treat those already suffering from COVID-19.
The feds say Middlebrook solicited funds from investors and promised huge profits from his company, Quantum Prevention CV. For instance, the FBI says he told a cooperating witness a $1 million investment would turn into $200 to $300 million, conservatively.
He also allegedly dropped Magic Johnson's name to at least one potential investor ... claiming Magic was on his board of directors. The feds say they checked with Magic, who confirmed he had NO clue about Middlebrook or his "company."
Attorney General William Barr warned this week, during a White House briefing, the feds would come down hard on anyone preying on fears surrounding the pandemic.
True enough, Middlebrook's been charged with wire fraud, which carries a max sentence of 20 years.
9:13 AM PT -- Pleasure P tells us, "My name will be cleared in this insignificant matter. The bigger concern that I think myself and my brothers in Pretty Ricky can help the world right now is making new baby making music that you can quarantine and chill with your loved one while at home."
R&B singer Pleasure P tried to pull the ol' don't-you-know-who-I-am card on cops during his drive-thru arrest earlier this month ... and it completely backfired.
TMZ's obtained bodycam footage of the former Pretty Ricky member's arrest in Miami Gardens ... and it shows him combative with cops as they try to sort out the incident at a Checker's drive-thru that triggered his arrest for simple battery.
As you can see in the video ... cops make every effort to get PP to calm the hell down. At one point, you can see a cop approaching Pleasure P and you can hear the singer say, "I'm Pleasure P" before a cop fires back, "I don't care who you are."
The singer scoffed at the idea he'd be arrested because he said he had a lot to lose ... and for good measure, brought up the fact he's part of the Millennium Tour featuring tons of other 90s artists.
At one point, you see the fast-food employee in question being interviewed by cops, and she gets into a shouting match with Pleasure P. Ya gotta watch the video until the end ... 'cause it's hilarious when, out of nowhere, an Uber Eats driver shows up, and cops weren't having it.
As we first reported ... Pleasure P allegedly shoved the employee in the chest with his bag of food through the drive-thru pickup window after a mix-up with his order. He denied throwing the food at her ... but according to the police report, cops say other employees corroborated their coworker's story.
Antonio Brown is on the road to redemption -- at least according to Hall of Famer Deion Sanders who says he's "proud" of all the process AB is making off the field.
Of course, AB has been in the news for all the wrong reasons dating back to his days with the Steelers, Raiders and Patriots -- from stupid things like helmet drama and beefs with GMs, to more serious issues like allegations of rape and assault.
But Deion Sanders is publicly supporting the WR -- in fact, Sanders shared snaps from a FaceTime with AB on Tuesday and made it clear he's in Brown's corner.
"Had to check on my Prodigal Son AB today!" Deion said. "When I tell u I'm proud of him I do mean I'm proud of him."
"He's working on himself, his family and his game 1 day at a time just like you and I. #Truth"
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Sanders -- who has shared his motivational wisdom in retirement -- says he sees the changes that are necessary to make a football comeback ... and as we already know, AB is trying like hell for a reunion with brief teammate Tom Brady.
"The REDEMPTION story is gonna be so darn good because it's gonna be REAL!"
The NFL has said it's investigating Brown -- it's possible (and likely) he'll get slapped with a punishment before being allowed back on the field ... if he's given another shot.
1:49 PM PT -- Weinstein's attorney, Imran Ansari, tells us the judge granted the motion for the extension of time for discovery in the case, which we've confirmed with court docs.
Harvey Weinstein says the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is seriously complicating one of his many legal matters, so he's begging a judge for more time.
According to a new legal doc -- obtained by TMZ -- Weinstein wants a 2-month extension for discovery in a civil case ... specifically, "due to the current coronavirus crisis." The now-convicted rapist is being sued for sexual assault by actress Wedil David.
It's interesting ... Weinstein's lawyer, Imran Ansari, spells out several reasons why the disgraced movie mogul can't meet the court's deadline -- his recent conviction in his NY rape case, his pending criminal case in L.A. and his rapidly declining health and medical problems -- but does NOT confirm the recent news that Weinstein tested positive for coronavirus.
In fact, Weinstein's attorney says he wouldn't even confirm a COVID-19 diagnosis to opposing counsel out of respect for his privacy rights. However, TMZ has confirmed he's one of 2 inmates to test positive at Wende Correctional Facility in New York.
Even more interesting -- the legal doc refers to Weinstein as an "at-risk individual" and argues the events of the last month have been a "perfect storm" for him ... and the coronavirus pandemic as a whole, warrants an extension of a deadline in his civil case to May 15.
