Crime & Arrests

Ex-NBA player Gerald Wilkins -- younger bro of Dominique Wilkins -- was arrested Tuesday on 2 counts of battery and he's still behind bars, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 56-year-old was taken into custody in Cobb County, Georgia on August 18.

Records show he's facing 3 criminal charges -- 2 counts of misdemeanor simple battery and 1 count of misdemeanor criminal trespass.

We're working on the details.

Wilkins was a 2nd round pick in the 1985 NBA Draft and went on to play for the Knicks, Cleveland Cavs, Grizzlies and  Orlando Magic ... before finally retiring in 1999.

It's been a rough year for Wilkins who's facing a bunch of criminal charges stemming from multiple alleged incidents over the past few months.

Officials say he attacked a work colleague back on June 9 ... and was also involved in a domestic incident on June 6.

Before that, Wilkins was charged with assault for allegedly trying to force his way into a woman's home back in May.

The murder of Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay has been a mystery for nearly 2 decades ... but 2 men are finally in custody for the crime, TMZ has confirmed.

Jay was shot to death on October 30, 2002, in a recording studio in Queens, and now federal prosecutors are indicting  Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan, Jr. for the crime.

The 2 men have long been suspects, but the feds finally feel they have the goods to prosecute them on charges of murder while engaged in drug trafficking.

Federal prosecutors are expected to announce the charges some time Monday, as was first reported by the NY Times.

Washington is already serving a federal sentence for robbery, and Jordan was taken into custody Sunday.

JMJ, real name Jason Mizell, was just 37 when he was killed.

He lost his job. He's fighting domestic violence allegations -- and now, Derrius Guice has been ordered to appear in court over a reckless driving incident.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the ex-Washington Football Team running back was popped going 95 in a 55 near Dulles Airport back in June -- the latest in a string of speeding incidents in Virginia.

He was cited for misdemeanor reckless driving and a court date has been set for Sept.

Normally, this isn't a big deal ... but for Guice, it's another strike against a once-promising NFL star battling to keep his career.

As previously reported, Guice was arrested earlier this month on several serious domestic violence-related charges ... including felony strangulation.

Officials say Guice attacked his GF on 3 separate occasions from February to April -- and if convicted on all counts, he faces serious prison time.

While digging around on the domestic violence case, we came across a bunch of speeding incidents involving Guice dating back to May 2019.

In total, 4 speeding tickets over the course of 13 months -- seems Guice has a lead foot.

Guice's attorney has said the RB "adamantly denies" the domestic violence charges.

Police in Florida say a homeless man posted up in a luxury suite at a pro soccer team's stadium for 2 WEEKS while the facility was closed due to COVID ... helping himself to food and merch the whole time.

The St. Petersburg Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports ... on July 26, Daniel Neja -- who cops say is homeless -- somehow got into the closed home of the Tampa Bay Rowdies and began squatting in the facility.

Cops say surveillance cameras captured the 39-year-old moving around Al Lang Stadium freely ... eating and drinking things from the concession area, as well as snagging Rowdies clothes and memorabilia from the team store.

Cops say Neja ultimately ended up taking more than $1,000 worth of stuff ... and an additional $250 from the concession area.

Officials say Neja was only caught because a cleaning crew noticed personal items like shaving cream and razors in the suite he had allegedly been living in.

Eventually, an officer showed up to the stadium Monday and found Neja ... and arrested him for burglary. Cops also say Neja refused to provide his name during questioning, so he was booked on an additional charge of resisting as well.

The guy accused of shooting at Lil Wayne's bus in 2015 has copped a pretty sweet plea deal ... but we're told he's not getting out of jail just yet.

Jimmy Winfrey has pled guilty to 2 counts of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act ... this according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ. As part of the deal, prosecutors have dropped a slew of other charges -- 4 counts of violation of the RICO Act, 6 other counts of violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, 12 counts of aggravated assault, 2 counts of criminal damage to property in the first degree and 1 count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

He was sentenced to 7 years in prison ... a much lighter sentence than what he got in 2015, when the judge threw the book at him with a 20-year sentence. The Georgia Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 2018 and so the case went back to square 1.

And, get this ... Winfrey got credit for time served and set to be released, but Winfrey's lawyer, Steve Sadow, tells TMZ ... the reason his client hasn't been released involves an unrelated outstanding warrants case. Sadow wants to be clear ... Winfrey entered a special kind of guilty plea where his client maintains his innocence, despite pleading guilty.

As part of the sentence, he's also gotta pay $100k in restitution to Alvin Lewis, the bus driver.

TMZ broke the story ... Alvin accused Birdman and Young Thug of striking secret deals with prosecutors in the case. Alvin had said he found it unusual Cobb County prosecutors described Birdman and YT as co-conspirators in the alleged shooter's indictment but did NOT bring charges against them.

Alvin made no bones about it ... he claimed there was overwhelming evidence of complicity among Winfrey, Birdman and Young Thug ... evidence that includes phone records, recorded confessions, and promises of payment.

Sources close to Birdman had told us the rapper denied any involvement in the case. Young Thug has never commented publicly on the incident.

Shocking new details in the Derrius Guice domestic violence case ... the NFL player's GF told cops he choked her unconscious during a March incident and when she came to, he was crying next to her.

It's all in new court documents obtained by TMZ Sports ... which spell out the allegations from 3 separate incidents allegedly involving the former Washington Football Team running back, beginning on Valentine's Day.

INCIDENT #1 -- Feb. 14, 2020

Guice's girlfriend told cops he "pushed her to the ground in his bedroom bathroom, causing injury to her left thumbnail where she caught her fall."

The woman says the nail eventually fell off due to a "popped blood vessel."

INCIDENT #2 -- March 13, 2020

Guice's GF told cops he "strangled her until she was unconscious by putting his hands around her neck and applying pressure."

The woman says when she regained consciousness, Guice was "crying and tapping her."

She told cops Guice had also pushed her and pulled her hair more than once that same day.

The woman says she left the house to catch a flight and didn't look in the mirror until she was at the airport. That's when she realized she was badly bruised and took photos of her injuries, which she submitted to police.

INCIDENT #3 -- April 17, 2020

The woman says Guice pushed her to the ground outside of his Ashburn, Virginia home causing injuries to her body, which she again photographed.

She claims Guice also thew her cell phone into the street, causing it to shatter.

As we previously reported, Guice was arrested on Friday and hit with multiple serious charges including assault and battery, felony strangulation and destruction of property.

If convicted on the felony, the faces up to 5 years in prison.

He was released on bond -- and cut by the Washington Football Team later that day.

Guice was a top running back at LSU during his college days and was selected in the 2nd-round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

He flashed huge potential but was hampered by injuries.

"Any time you have to release a very talented young football player, its always a tough decision."

That's Washington Football Team football coach Ron Rivera explaining why he wrestled with the decision to release Derrius Guice on Friday, hours after Guice was arrested on domestic violence charges.

"On Friday, I made a decision that I believe was in the best interest of this organization, our players and our fans going forward," Rivera said during a Monday morning media session.

"Very difficult decision."

As we previously reported, the 23-year-old running back was taken into custody on Friday on multiple charges, including one count of felony strangulation.

He's also facing 3 counts of assault and battery and 1 count of destruction of property.

Officials say the charges stem from THREE violence incidents dating back to February.

River says he spoke with the Washington players on Sunday and "basically told them that I made a decision that I believe was in the best interests of our organization."

"If it was the right decision, we will benefit from it and if it's not, it will be on me."

"I will take full responsibility as we go forward to try and make sure we do things the right way and we'll go from there."

On the football side of things, Washington still has some talent at RB -- including veterans Adrian Peterson and Peyton Barber.

Juelz Santana is enjoying his newfound freedom thanks in part to Meek Mill ... and now he wants to give back to the inmates he met while behind bars.

Here's the deal ... Juelz is fresh outta prison after serving 19 months of his 27-month sentence in his airport drug case, and he's got Meek to thank for some smooth sailing.

Our sources tell us Meek helped Juelz by connecting his wife, Kimbella, with a lawyer who helped guide them through the process to ensure everything worked out. Courts and the prison system can be tricky, and we're told Meek wanted to ensure things would work out for Juelz.

The Dipset MC was able to come straight home and skip the halfway house he was originally destined for. Many halfway houses are shut down because of the pandemic.

Juelz is now on supervised release, which, as we first reported, means he'll have to submit to a drug test within 15 days of his release.

Now that he's out, Juelz tells us he wants to give back to inmates by working with non-profits whose missions include overturning sentences for wrongly convicted prisoners. Juelz says he also wants to help people in prison find a platform for the music and movie scripts they write in lockup.

On that same front, Juelz tells us he wrote a ton of new music on the inside, as well as a script for a TV series. He says he's going to get back in the studio Monday, but also wants to take time to focus on his family and make up for the 19 months he spent in prison.

Juelz's wife is happy to have her husband home ... she says it's surreal to have him back, wake up next to him and see him with their kids.

Washington Football Team star Derrius Guice has been arrested in Virginia on suspicion of domestic violence, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 23-year-old running back was taken into custody on Friday on multiple charges, including one count of felony strangulation, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

He's also facing 3 counts of assault and battery and 1 count of destruction of property.

Guice surrendered to the Loudoun Adult Detention Center around 5 PM, according to the Washington Post.

Records show Guice has since been released on bond.

Guice was a 2nd round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft -- but missed his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear in the preseason.

His 2019 was also plagued with knee injuries -- he was limited to just 5 games and only rushed for 245 yards.

But, the former LSU star has reportedly been working out like a maniac and many projected him to have a breakout year in 2020.

Story developing ...

Good news for Seattle Seahawks corner Quinton Dunbar -- prosecutors are DROPPING all criminal charges against him stemming from an alleged armed robbery incident.

Bad news for New York Giants corner DeAndre Baker -- some of his charges are moving forward and he now faces up to life in prison.

As we previously reported, Baker -- along with Dunbar -- was arrested for allegedly robbing several people at gunpoint during a May 13 cookout in Miramar, FL.

Cops initially said ... witnesses told them Baker pulled out a semi-automatic firearm and directed Dunbar to start taking expensive watches and other valuables from people at the cookout.

At one point, cops say Baker directed a 3rd man -- who was wearing a red mask -- to shoot someone who had just walked into the party ... but fortunately, no one was actually shot.

Baker was charged with 4 counts of armed robbery and 4 counts of aggravated assault with a firearm -- though he has adamantly denied the allegations.

Dunbar was facing 4 counts of armed robbery.

But now, Broward State Attorney Mike Satz says Quinton Dunbar's charges are being dropped due to insufficient evidence.

As for Baker, he's been formally charged with 4 counts of robbery with a firearm.

Prosecutors say he's accused of stealing cash and watches from four men.

If convicted, 22-year-old Baker faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in state prison.

Officials add ... "Baker surrendered to jail on May 16 and was released on bond while the investigation has been pending."

Baker's attorney, Bradford Cohen, meanwhile, tells TMZ Sports ... "The state attorney's office is basing their case on the words of admitted liars who were paid off to change their stories."

"What the state attorney's office is doing here is just filing these charges without any corroborating evidence and saying let the justice system work it out. This type of thinking needs to be eliminated."

Baker -- a former Georgia Bulldog superstar -- was picked with the 30th overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft and was expected to compete for a starting job on the Giants this season.

THIS IS SAVAGE!!!

Blue Jays catcher Reese McGuire was epically trolled by the Atlanta Braves team organist mid-game Thursday ... and the scene was laugh out loud funny!!

McGuire -- playing in his first game since TMZ Sports posted video of his SUPER awkward masturbation bust -- was walking up to the plate in the 3rd inning when he was greeted by "Beat It" over the Atlanta loudspeakers.

The Michael Jackson tune played for several seconds ... and if you get the reference -- try not to smile!!

Of course, McGuire was stopped by cops in a parking lot last February after witnesses say they saw him inside of his car pleasuring himself.

In police footage of the incident ... McGuire apologized profusely for his actions, saying, "I've realized that I made a mistake having my pants down and doing what I was doing."

He added, "I really am apologetic. And, I know I shouldn't have been doing this."

McGuire eventually was forced to pay fines and fees over it all after cutting a deal with prosecutors ... but clearly, MLB teams ain't going to let him off that easy.

To make matters worse for McGuire ... he finished the night 0-for-3 with two strikeouts after the troll job -- AND the Jays lost in heartbreaking walk-off fashion.

Ex-NFLer Justin Bannan has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in his attempted murder case ... after the defensive lineman allegedly shot a woman back in 2019.

41-year-old Bannan -- who played 11 seasons in the NFL -- was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault and burglary back in October 2019 ... after he shot a woman in the shoulder in Boulder, Colorado.

The woman survived -- and she's suing Bannan over the shooting -- but he's also being prosecuted criminally and faces serious prison time if convicted.

Officials say at the time of his arrest, Bannan told a bizarre story about how he was on the run from the Russian mafia and had ditched his cell phone over fears he was being tracked.

Bannan also claimed he did not intend to fire his weapon, claiming the shooting was an accident and he never intentionally targeted the female victim.

Officials say the woman had worked in the same building as Bannan ... but they really didn't know each other.

Cops also say when the 6'3", 310-lb. Bannan was arrested, he was carrying a rolled-up $20 dollar bill, which later tested positive for cocaine.

According to FOX 31 Denver, Bannan is now set to undergo a mental health evaluation at a state hospital.

Bannan was a standout defensive lineman at the University of Colorado from 1997-2001 ... and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 5th round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

Drew Drechsel, the reigning "American Ninja Warrior" champ, is now facing federal charges for luring an underage girl for sex.

Last year's 'ANW' winner allegedly began a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl in New Jersey back in 2015 ... according to legal docs, obtained by TMZ. Drechsel, nicknamed the Real Life Ninja, was arrested Tuesday at his home in Saint Cloud, FL.

The feds say the alleged victim contacted cops in NJ in June 2019 and told them she started having sex with Drechsel when she was 15 and he was 26. She claims they first met in 2014 after an 'ANW' contestant event, exchanged numbers and began texting each other.

In the docs, the alleged victim claims Drechsel invited her to his gym in Hamden, CT as a 15th birthday present, and they had sex after his girlfriend left the gym. She told police she informed her mother about the encounter the very next day.

The mother alleges Drechsel didn't deny having sex with her daughter when confronted, but claimed he did not know the girl's age.

According to docs, the alleged victim also told cops she met Drechsel multiple times outside a NJ gym and had sex with him when she was 15 to 17 years old.

The feds say she told them Drechsel frequently asked her to Skype him while she was naked, and they allegedly found child pornography on Drechsel's cell phone ... along with his requests for her to delete their text messages.

Drechsel -- who won $1 million on 'ANW' -- remains in custody after a judge found him to be a flight risk and danger to the community. U.S. Marshals are transporting him from Florida to NJ, where he'll stand trial.

Detroit rapper 42 Dugg's wearing a new accessory, but there's no celeb jeweler involved this time -- instead, it's cops who've put a GPS monitor on him after he allegedly tried to evade police.

The rapper was busted Monday in Oakland County, Michigan nearly 2 months after cops say he fled from officers in a Detroit suburb ... according to Oakland County's chief assistant prosecutor Paul Walton.

Walton tells us cops tried to pull over a 2020 Chevy Tahoe that ran a stop sign back on June 5. We're told the Tahoe initially pulled over but took off when the cop approached the car, and actually managed to make a clean getaway.

Well, not all that clean. We're told the cop ran the plates and discovered it was a Hertz rental ... that was under a local promoter's name. A detective did some digging and found out Dugg is one of the promoter's clients.

Walton tells us the detective ultimately reviewed surveillance video in the area and identified 42 Dugg as the driver. The 25-year-old rapper was finally tracked down and booked for fleeing a police officer -- a third-degree felony.

Dugg eventually posted $20k bond but got a GPS ankle monitor as part of his conditional release. If convicted, the rapper faces up to 5 years in prison, a $1,000 fine and suspension of his license for 1 year. He's due back in court next week.

Dugg is best known for his collabs with Lil Baby ... including "Grace" and "We Paid," which have more than 106 million YouTube views. We've reached out to Dugg, so far, no word back.

Benzino allegedly flew into a jealous rage and took his anger out on his baby mama, Althea Eaton's new man and his truck ... which led to his arrest.

The incident went down Friday morning in Braselton, GA where Benzino allegedly got into a shouting match with a man who was hanging out with Althea ... according to cops.

That other man told cops he "and a female he has been seeing, Althea Eaton, were out for a walk in the neighborhood" but when they got back to his truck, Benzino "approached him in a threatening and harassing manner." Cops say the man told them he didn't know Benzino and had no idea Althea was involved with someone else.

According to the police report, the guy tried getting into his 2018 Chevy Silverado but Benzino wasn't having it, and allegedly hit the truck multiple times with his fist. Cops say they saw 2 dents in the driver's side door.

Now, Benzino told a much different story -- claiming he was in the area watching his son play tennis when "a male came up to him and told him he was going to shoot him."

Benzino denied damaging the dude's truck, but witnesses backed up the other man's claims. Benzino was ultimately arrested and booked on 1 count of criminal damage 2nd degree and 1 count of disorderly conduct. He was taken to Gwinnett County Jail where his bail was set at $8,450, and we're told he remains behind bars.

As we've reported ... Benzino's had his share of trouble with the law, and NO lack of serious drama with Althea.

Aerial performer Sam Panda got detained by Myrtle Beach police for her revealing swimsuit, and she had to have a long thong debate to get released.

Sam says "some Karen" called the cops on her for her bikini, and the video starts with her being walked away in cuffs as she and her friend ask for clarification.

The cops actually busted out their law book and claimed Sam was violating an ordinance about being nude on a public beach, and one officer equated her thong bikini to nudity.

Sam objected, and after pointing out that her private parts were all covered up, the cops called for backup. Yes, they needed backup ... over the exposed backside.

For the record, this is the law they brought her in for ... being in public in "a state of dress or undress so as to expose to the view of others specified anatomical areas" ... in this case, her butt.

According to the MB police ... the initial call was a report of 2 women "who were wearing thong bikinis and a see-through top that were dancing and soliciting videos on the beach."

Cops say Sam tried to walk away, which is why she was detained, but after the ordinance was explained ... the ladies agreed to cover up and were released without charges.

Sam believes the woman who reported her "decided that my body was offensive to her and showed her child that her body could one day lead to her arrest."

BTW -- if Sam Panda looks or sounds familiar ... it's because she went viral a few years ago for suffering a broken neck in a scary accident when a rig malfunctioned during one of her acrobatic stunts.