Crime & Arrests

Brittney Griner is ready to open up about her harrowing time spent in captivity inside a Russian penal colony.

The 32-year-old, 8x WNBA All-Star has inked a deal with publisher Alfred A. Knopf to write a still-untitled memoir which they say will take a deep dive into Griner's nearly one-year stay in a Moscow-area penal colony.

"For the first time Griner recounts the tumultuous events of 2022 that both reshaped her life and captured the world’s attention: Griner’s arrest at the Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow on February 17, followed by her detention, trial, and imprisonment in Russia," Knopf says about the book, slated to be released mid-next year.

Of course, Griner, arrested and charged for bringing vape cartridges into the country, was ultimately found guilty on the drug charge, and sentenced to 9 years behind bars. But, after months of negotiation, the U.S. agreed to a prisoner exchange, sending back notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout for BG's release.

Knopf, publisher behind Andre Agassi's bio, Open, says Griner will discuss everything from being arrested to going on trial "in vivid detail." She will also write about her "surreal time living in a foreign prison and the terrifying aspects of day-to-day life in a women’s penal colony."

“I arrived in Moscow to rejoin the UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball team and was immediately detained at the airport. That day was the beginning of an unfathomable period in my life which only now am I ready to share,” Griner says of the project.

Brittney continued ... “After an incredibly challenging 10 months in detainment, I am grateful to have been rescued and to be home. Readers will hear my story and understand why I’m so thankful for the outpouring of support from people across the world."

In addition to the memoir, which will mark the first time Griner has talked about her harrowing experience in-depth, there will be a companion children's book released in the future.

NBA YoungBoy’s new album title "Don’t Try This At Home" apparently applies to everyone but him -- the prolific rapper’s throwing a huge party in L.A. while he's home ... on house arrest in Utah!!!

Sources close to the rap star’s camp tell TMZ Hip Hop the event goes down Thursday, April 20, and NBA’s team is paying $200K to rent party space at Elevate Lounge DTLA.

We’re told Team NBA is pulling out all the stops -- 50 Cent’s Branson Cognac is sponsoring, and there will be fully decked out with customized decor, sounds provided by DJ Carisma and a fan raffle. The winner gets to talk to NBA over the stream during the party.

Might sound like a standard Hollywood event, except the guy hosting will be several hundred miles away ... due to his lengthy house arrest for a gun possession charge.

NBA linked with Nicki Minaj for the album’s latest single “WTF,” which dropped last Friday and already has a couple million views.

Intruders beware at Leon “Roccstar” Youngblood Jr.'s home -- when the "Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood" star found some guy creeping on his roof, he handled it on his own ... according to law enforcement.

Cops say the platinum-selling Chris Brown producer told officers he was awakened a little past 5:00 AM Monday by an alarm alerting him someone was on the garage roof at his Chatsworth, CA home.

He says he went outside and, at gunpoint, ordered the guy off his roof ... but when he came down, an altercation broke out between them.

We're told Roccstar overpowered the guy, and then security for his gated community arrived to help detain the man until cops arrived.

The suspect was evaluated at the hospital for injuries before he was arrested for attempted burglary, vandalism, and possession of burglary tools.

There's now a parent being held responsible for their child shooting someone at school ... the mother of the 6-year-old who shot his teacher in a Virginia elementary school has been criminally charged.

Prosecutors in Virginia announced the charges Monday, with a grand jury indicting Deja Taylor with felony child neglect, plus a misdemeanor charge of recklessly leaving a firearm to endanger a child.

As we reported ... a first-grader at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News shot his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, back in January ... with the 25-year-old educator suffering gunshot wounds to her hand and chest.

Prosecutors say the 6-year-old student is not facing criminal charges but noted the mother's indictment follows a "thorough" police investigation.

What's more, prosecutors also say they are asking the court for a special grand jury to determine whether there should be additional charges over “any security issues that may have contributed to this shooting."

Matt Hardy is optimistic his brother, Jeff, will return to AEW sometime soon ... saying the wrestling star is doing well and taking care of himself during his time away from the squared-circle.

Matt gave an update on Jeff -- who resurfaced last week in a pic with a fan in North Carolina -- during a chat with fellow AEW wrestler Isiah Kassidy ... where he confirmed his bro is recovering from a recent eye surgery.

"His eyes were just a little off-set, probably from wear and tear and beating his body up," Matt said. "They had to work on some ligaments and tendons in one of his eyes."

"So they corrected that [with] surgery, and they said probably in five, six weeks, he should be okay."

As we previously reported, Jeff found himself in some trouble outside the ring lately -- he submitted a written no contest plea in his DUI case in February ... and was given a 38-day credit for jail time he already served.

AEW suspended Jeff following his DUI arrest last June ... but Matt believes Jeff's hard work outside the ring is positioning him to return to action in the coming months.

NASCAR driver Cody Ware was arrested on Monday ... following allegations he assaulted a female.

According to police records, the 27-year-old was booked into jail in Iredell County, N.C. at 7:38 AM on charges of assault by strangulation -- inflicting serious injury, and assault on a female.

The records show as of Monday afternoon, he was still in custody.

Specifics regarding the allegations against Ware have not yet been revealed ... though police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, show the alleged incident initially happened on April 3 at a home in Mooresville, N.C.

NASCAR suspended the Cup Series driver indefinitely following his arrest.

Ware did not race in Sunday's NASCAR Cup event at Bristol Motor Speedway ... with Rick Ware Racing announcing earlier in the weekend that Cody would sit out while dealing with "a personal matter."

Cody began racing in the Cup Series in 2017. His best career finish came last season, when he came in sixth place at Daytona International Speedway.

Roger Clemens' 34-year-old son, Kory, has been arrested again for DWI, TMZ Sports has learned ... and the allegations against the MLB legend's kid are scary.

According to court documents, Kory was busted by the Houston Police Dept. in Texas at 2:22 AM on April 7 following a car accident.

In the docs, prosecutors allege Clemens struck another vehicle, which caused "heavy" front-end damage. They also say Kory was throwing up at the scene and was "unsteady on his feet." They added in the documents that he reeked of booze, had bloodshot eyes and slurred his speech ... and stumbled when he walked.

Court documents show he was booked into a Harris County jail ... before he was released after posting bond.

It's the second time in the last four years that Kory has been accused of DWI -- back in May 2019, he was also arrested in Houston after cops said he showed signs of intoxication during a traffic stop at 2:05 AM. The case was ultimately dismissed in 2020 after he entered into a pretrial diversion program.

Kory is one of four of Clemens' sons, who all have names starting with the letter "K" ... as a nod to the former Houston Astros pitcher's propensity to rack up strikeouts while on the mound.

Gucci Mane's former artist Ralo had a Happy Easter despite his ongoing prison bid for weed trafficking ... the Georgia rapper got to hug his daughter for the first time in 5 years!!!

Ralo posted pics of the father and child reunion -- showing himself and his daughter embracing. On IG, he compared their prison meeting to an out-of-body experience that lasts a lifetime.

He admitted current hip hop culture made him want to cut the "rapper" tag from his résumé, but says proceeds from his music are providing for his daughter and much more.

So, he's not bowing out of the game just yet.

Ralo was sentenced to 97 months last year after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, but has released several projects while behind bars.

He's been teasing his upcoming "97 Months" album ... titled after the length of his prison sentence and dropped off its first single, "Street Honors" with Jadakiss, ahead of the project's April 21 date.

Donald Trump is doing what he tends to do best in times of crisis -- hitting the links to blow off some steam ... with this weekend being no different for him amid his criminal case.

The ex-Prez was playing a round Saturday morning at his hotel in Miami ... the Trump National Doral, which has four full-blown golf courses to choose from. Unclear which one DT was on in this instance, but he was out there with some pals ... and his MAGA hat to boot.

Dude looks pretty relaxed ... which makes sense, we suppose. This is sorta his happy place, even during the worst of times -- as we've witnessed throughout these past several years.

The only difference now, of course, is that he's under criminal prosecution by the Manhattan D.A.'s Office on 34 felony counts -- most of which stem from the Stormy Daniels hush money incident ... which law enforcement now alleges was directed to be paid at the behest of DT.

He's looked/sounded defiant in the wake of those charges -- especially when he was in NYC this past week to plead not guilty and get processed by cops ... putting on a brave face.

Here, the Don's more mellow, it seems, and there's another thing to consider with this appearance -- namely, the fact that it's Passover right now for Jewish folks ... and not just that, but his hotel there is actually hosting a whole slate of Passover events this weekend.

"Jersey Shore" stars Ronnie and Sammi were in one of reality TV's most toxic relationships, one that forced her away from the cast for years ... and now the two are shockingly back under the same roof.

We got pics of Ronnie at Margaritaville Resort in Orlando Friday -- the same hotel Sammi, Snooki, The Situation, JWoww, Pauly D, Vinny and Deena are all shacked up to shoot the new season of "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation."

Ronnie's presence is surprising for a multitude of reasons, including the fact Ronnie hasn't been a full-time cast member for several years after stepping away from the show following a string of arrests and domestic violence issues with his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Jenn Harley.

Of course, it's also surprising to see him reuniting with everyone while Sammi is around, as she's chosen to steer clear of him for years. Sammi was the only OG cast member who did not return for 'Family Vacation' in 2018 and many speculated she only returned now because Ronnie was no longer in the picture.

It's still unclear if Ronnie and Sammi will shoot any scenes face-to-face or if they'll do parts separately with the other cast, but we do know Sammi's boyfriend is also on the trip ... so it's absolutely not a rekindling type of thing.

Ronnie and Sammi dated off and on through the first 6 seasons of "Jersey Shore" and their fights were explosive -- with furniture thrown from balconies, and one instance where Sammi punched Ronnie in the face.

Harvey Weinstein took a trip from L.A. to New York after his conviction on the West Coast ... and he was flown out in first class on the D.A.'s dime.

Sources connected to the case tell TMZ ... Weinstein flew on a commercial airline Wednesday ... with investigators and medical personnel aboard. We're told he was seated in first, and the L.A. County D.A. is picking up the tab.

The D.A.'s Office tells us, "[Weinstein] was returned to New York via a method we typically use pursuant to our extradition agreement with New York."

For context -- the NY Department of Corrections and Community Supervision tells us he's been assigned to the Mohawk Correctional Facility to continue serving his sentence. He was originally at Wende Correctional, but after a review of his treatment needs, they made the switch.

According to its website, Mohawk specializes in sex offender treatment ... among other things.

As for having medical personnel on his flight, HW’s rep Juda Engelmayer tells us he received treatment prior to getting on the flight for medical issues he's had over the years.

Beyonce's mom, Tina Knowles, had an unwelcome visitor at her Los Angeles home -- cops say they took a man into custody for causing a disturbance and damaging her property.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... LAPD rushed to Tina's pad last Saturday after getting a call that a man was at the front of the house throwing rocks at her mailbox.

We're told units arrived, including a helicopter, but the suspect immediately booked it -- thing is, the chopper kept an eagle eye on him. Cops zeroed in on him and, after a short foot pursuit, he was taken into custody.

Law enforcement says the suspect was behaving erratically and was placed on a 5150 psych hold. We're told there was minor damage to Tina's mailbox, but she declined to press charges or even file a report.

Aldon Smith has just been ordered to spend the next 12 months in jail ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The former NFL star was sentenced Friday inside a Northern California courtroom ... after he pleaded no contest to a felony DUI charge stemming from a 2021 incident in Redwood City.

Prosecutors tell us the ex-Dallas Cowboys pass rusher was remanded into custody after the hearing ... and will begin his year-long sentence right away.

Smith was also given five years of supervised probation, prosecutors say.

The 33-year-old football player, who was last with the Seahawks prior to the '21 season, was initially arrested in the case on Dec. 6, 2021 ... after authorities claim he rear-ended a truck that was stopped at a stop sign on a freeway off-ramp.

Cops say when they arrived on the scene to investigate the accident, Smith appeared intoxicated. They also claim he had marijuana in his pocket, and empty bottles of rum and vodka in his car.

Authorities say the person he hit suffered injuries to their back, wrist, knee, leg and foot in the crash.

Smith was eventually charged with one felony count of drunk driving causing injury -- but he cut a deal with prosecutors on Jan. 19 to close out the case. He had been facing a sentence of up to 16 months in prison following his plea agreement.

XXXTentacion's killers will spend the rest of their lives behind bars, and as far as the rapper's mother is concerned ... they better sleep with one eye open, as they'll be massive targets.

Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome and Dedrick Williams each received sentences of life without parole Thursday for their roles in the 2018 robbery and shooting death of XXX.

XXX's mom, Cleopatra, tells us she believes the sentence was more than appropriate given her son was murdered at just 20 years old. She says Boatwright taunted her throughout the trial by blowing kisses. She hopes "Buttright (not a typo) will now get the kiss he wants so bad."

She also has a message for Newsome and Williams ... "My hope for these other gentlemen is they will retain a firm grasp on the slippery soap."

It's very clear, Cleopatra believes the men will be targets, and you can't blame her for her anger toward them ... especially given the circumstances surrounding the crime.

TMZ broke the story, XXX was ambushed in his vehicle in broad daylight outside of a South Florida auto shop, shooting him and stealing a Louis Vuitton bag and $50,000 in cash.

Michael K. Williams' family is trying to move on from the trauma they've endured since his overdose, and his nephew says that process includes hoping the heroin dealer who sold the fatal batch to Michael finds help behind bars.

The late 'Wire' star's nephew, Dominic Dupont, tells TMZ ... the dealer's going to need God and everything that comes with believing in a higher power to make it through a lengthy prison sentence.

As we reported ... 39-year-old Irvin Cartagena pled guilty Wednesday to one count of conspiring to distribute drugs in connection to Michael's fatal 2021 overdose ... cutting a plea deal in exchange for a prison term between five and 40 years.

Dominic found his famous uncle dead from an overdose in the actor's Brooklyn apartment, and he watched Wednesday as Cartagena entered his plea.

He says Cartagena is likely to spend decades in a cage because of poor choices, and hopes he uses the time to get himself together.

For Dominic, justice in Michael's death is complicated. He says he's an advocate for justice -- just as his uncle was -- but adds, "People have to be held accountable and responsible for the decisions they make."

Michael's nephew says Wednesday's court proceedings amounted to a sad day for the family ... and there are no winners in this situation because nothing will bring back Michael.

Moving forward, Dominic says society needs to do a better job helping people dealing with addiction, as well as finding successful ways to reduce the influx of drugs on America's streets.

Britt Reid appeared to be fully aware of his surroundings following his 2021 car crash ... new police video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows he asked cops about the status of the little girl hurt in the wreck -- while also complaining of a stomach injury he suffered in the accident.

The footage was captured on a Kansas City Police Dept. dash camera at around 9:30 PM on Feb. 4, 2021 ... just moments after Reid slammed his pickup truck into the back of a stopped car on a freeway near the Chiefs' practice facility in K.C.

You can see in the video, Reid -- who at the time was an assistant coach on his dad Andy Reid's Chiefs staff -- seemed to be walking and talking to an officer without issue.

Wearing a Chiefs COVID mask and a Chiefs sweatshirt, Britt obeyed all of a cop's commands ... even informing the officer he had consumed an Adderall-like medication roughly 13 hours before the wreck.

At one point, Britt appeared to experience some discomfort ... and after pulling up his shirt to examine his stomach, he calmly told an officer, "My front is starting to swell up a little." He ultimately asked to be checked out by medical personnel.

While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, Britt was informed that he'd be taken to a local medical facility. He then attempted to pull out his phone to inform someone of the news -- but a cop told him, "We can't be on the phone right now, OK?"

Britt responded, "My dad is sitting right there." The cop then told him he still couldn't be on the device, and Britt complied.

It's not clear if Britt meant Andy was at the scene -- a spokesperson for the KCPD told us on Wednesday they were not aware if the K.C. head coach was there.

As Britt and officers continued to wait for medics to arrive, the football coach could be heard in the video inquiring about 5-year-old Ariel Young, who suffered serious brain injuries in the crash.

"Any word on that little girl?" he asked.

"I have not heard anything, sir," the cop said.

Moments later, Britt appeared to pull something from his mouth and throw it onto the ground. He then spit several times.

An ambulance eventually came, and Britt got in it. Officials later said he required emergency groin surgery for his injury.

Days after the crash, authorities said in court documents Britt had a BAC of .113 moments after the wreck, well above the .08 legal limit. They also said they were able to determine he was going 82.6 MPH in a 65 MPH zone just seconds before the crash, and had reached 83.9 MPH at the time of impact.

Britt, who lost his job with the Chiefs in the days following the crash, was ultimately charged with felony DWI in the case.

He pled guilty to the count in September 2022 and was sentenced to three years in prison two months later.

At the sentencing hearing, Britt said he was sorry for his actions ... telling the courtroom, "Every time I see my daughter, I think about Ariel and how my decision affected her so deeply and her family."