Crime & Arrests

The guy caught on video smashing people over the head with a folding chair in that riverfront brawl in Montgomery, Alabama has just been arrested.

The Montgomery Police Department announced Friday that Reggie Ray turned himself in ... and he's been charged with disorderly conduct and is being held in the Municipal Jail.

TMZ obtained the 42-year-old's mug shot ... and he doesn't look happy about the consequences of his actions in the epic melee.

Ray is the fifth person arrested for the brawl ... remember, Chief of Police Darryl Albert previously identified Reggie as the Black man who infamously wielded the chair on the dock, bonking several people on the head.

Ray got in on the action late, after men from a pontoon boat that was blocking a passenger ferry from docking ganged up on the ferry's co-captain ... sparking a huge brawl along racial lines.

The other 4 arrested include Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, who turned themselves in Wednesday and are each charged with one count of 3rd degree assault.

Richard Roberts, 48, was the first arrested ... he's accused of punching a 16-year-old dockhand.

The Alabama riverboat co-captain who got into that epic fight with a group of white boaters says the men threatened to beat him to death during the wild melee.

Damien Pickett, the co-captain of the Harriott 2 passenger ferry -- and the man who tossed his hat in the air -- told police the boaters who ganged up on him peppered him with threats during the beatdown on the docks, telling him "I'm gonna kill you, motherf*****. Beat your ass, motherf*****."

Damien's claims are part of his written account of the incident, first obtained by NBC News, where he tells police his side of the story.

The co-captain says crew members on the Harriott 2 asked the folks on the pontoon boat to move several times because it was docked where the ferry needed to land, and he says the boaters responded by giving them the middle finger.

Damien says he and a dockhand went to shore and untied the pontoon boat, moving it "three steps to the right" before tying it back to the dock to clear space for the Harriott 2 ... and that's when he claims 2 of the boaters ran up to him and yelled, "Don't touch that boat motherf***** or we will beat your ass."

The co-captain says the men continued to threaten them and then the pontoon boat's owner -- dressed in a gray shirt, red shorts and a sun visor -- eventually came over and got in his face.

Damien says the guy who threw the first punch was "a tall, older white guy" who hit him in the face ... and he says he soon found himself being attacked from all angles, so he started defending himself and fighting back.

The co-captain couldn't tell police how long the brawl lasted, explaining ... "I grabbed one of them and just held on for dear life."

So far, 4 people have been charged for the brawl ... Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, turned themselves in Wednesday and were charged with one count of assault 3rd degree.

Former NFL star Fred Smoot was arrested in Virginia on Thursday, TMZ Sports has learned.

According to jail records, the ex-Washington Commanders cornerback was taken into custody at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center at 10:58 AM ... and as of Friday morning, he remained behind bars.

A spokesperson for Loudoun County Sheriff's Office tells us ... he was booked misdemeanor failure to comply with support obligation.

Further details surrounding the arrest were not made available.

Smoot -- a second-round pick in the 2001 NFL Draft -- is no stranger to trouble with the law ... he's been arrested multiple times over the years, including back in 2019 when he multiple cops put him in cuffs after he allegedly didn't appear in court over minor traffic violations.

Smoot was also famously involved in the 2005 Minnesota Vikings' "Love Boat" scandal ... where a bunch of players were accused of hiring prostitutes for a massive sex party on water. He later pled guilty to disorderly conduct and being a public nuisance on a watercraft stemming from the incident.

Tory Lanez is speaking out against his 10-year prison bid ... but he's not going to apologize for the Megan Thee Stallion shooting, as he still insists he didn't do it.

The Canadian rapper broke his silence Thursday with a lengthy Instagram post, promising to bounce back after he completes his stretch in a California state prison, and maintaining his innocence.

Tory says he's not apologizing for being found guilty of shooting Meg ... he says he was wrongfully convicted. He adds, "I remain on the stance that I refuse to apologize for something that I did not do."

As you know ... the judge sentenced Tory Tuesday to 10 years in prison, though his high-powered attorney Jose Baez says the plan is to appeal that sentence.

Tory says the conviction is just another moment where he has his back against the wall, but he says he's always overcome adversity and is promising to do so here.

He declares, "I refuse to stop fighting till I come out victorious."

TMZ broke the story ... Tory's lawyer says he's leaning on his faith and his family and friends as he begins serving his sentence.

Tory says "tough times don't last, tough people do" ... and he's thanking his supporters and promising to see them soon.

Contrary to popular belief, Bun B isn't wishing eternal hell on Tory Lanez amid his 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion -- the UGK legend wants the rapper to become a better man in prison.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Bun Thursday in NYC, where he said Tory's case is a lesson for society, in general, and less about hip hop culture ... as he sees Tory's punishment as a wake-up call for domestic violence.

Following the shooting in the summer of 2020, Bun was one of the few prominent figures to publicly defend Megan while also calling out Tory, effectively making him a target for Tory's song, "Sorry I Had To" ... a record that later came back to haunt him in court.

Despite that past beef, Bun still offers up OG advice for Tory, telling him to keep his head up and he wants him to return from prison safely after the term is complete.

On a much lighter note, Bun also talked about successfully carving out a niche for his Trill Burgers franchise ... which may be adding Trill Tacos to the menu soon.

Ray Rice returned to his old stomping grounds on Thursday ... but he wasn't the only former star running back hanging out on the Baltimore Ravens sidelines -- he was spotted chopping it up with Marshawn Lynch.

The Super Bowl champion -- who has made several appearances at Ravens events after getting kicked off the team in 2014 -- was a popular guest at training camp hours ago ... with kids flocking to him after he arrived.

RR appeared to be in great spirits throughout the visit ... and video shows him laughing with Beast Mode as they checked out the squad.

Of course, Rice transitioned to a public speaking and mentorship role after he was suspended indefinitely following his Atlantic City casino elevator incident ... teaching young players how to prevent similar mistakes.

Rice never played another down of professional football following the controversy ... but he's been no stranger to the sport nonetheless.

Former NFL defensive back Buster Skrine was arrested in Canada on Wednesday ... after authorities say he fraudulently obtained more than $100K from a bunch of banks throughout the country.

The Durham Regional Police Service said Wednesday that Skrine had attended "numerous financial institutions" recently in order to illegally obtain cash. They claimed as part of his scheme, Skrine would identify himself as a retired NFL player, open bank accounts with fraudulent checks, and then obtain a portion of the dough before the check cleared.

They said Skrine did this at multiple locations in the Durham Region ... adding that they had "reason to believe" he had pulled similar scams all across Canada.

Durham Regional Police said following an investigation into the allegations, they arrested Skrine at Pearson International Airport on Wednesday after learning he had made plans to travel back to the United States.

The 34-year-old has since been hit with 14 charges -- including fraud and possession of property obtained by crime.

Desiigner allegedly admitted to breaking the terms of his pretrial release in the case where he was accused of masturbating on a plane in April ... and now he could land behind bars.

According to docs obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, the "Panda" rapper's probation officer told the court Desiigner admitted to using marijuana and then failed to show up for drug testing in July. The PO is now asking the judge to see if his pretrial release should be revoked.

We broke the story ... Desiigner was charged with indecent exposure and was ordered not to have any contact with any alleged victims, abstain from alcohol, and refrain from using controlled substances.

You'll recall he said the ordeal in the air was caused by some mental health issues.

Desiigner was also supposed to attend counseling sessions ... something the PO also said he's failed to verify he's doing.

The documents also say Desiigner hasn't signed his co-payment agreement for drug testing and failed to supply a P.O. Box address to the probation department.

More arrests in the massive riverfront brawl in Montgomery, Alabama ... as two more men have turned themselves in and have been hit with charges.

The Montgomery Police Department made the announcement Wednesday night -- Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, turned themselves in, and were charged with one count of assault 3rd degree.

While the arrests might not be a surprise -- as cops announced Wednesday the men were facing charges and making arrangements to come to the police station -- there's still a possibility more arrests and charges could come from the brawl.

TMZ broke the story, one of the employees on the passenger ferry, Harriot 2, told cops she heard the white men yell, "F*** that n*****" before coming down the dock to fight the black employee who was moving their boat so the ferry could park safely.

As we reported, Richard Roberts, who is accused of punching a 16-year-old ferry employee, also turned himself in.

In a presser Wednesday, the Montgomery Chief of police announced they'd been working with local FBI agents to determine if a hate crime was committed. At this time, no one has been charged with a hate crime.

Tory Lanez is starting to feel the gravity of his 10-year prison sentence -- after believing the system would do right by him, he's now turning to God to for strength.

Tory's defense attorney, Jose Baez, tells TMZ his client is feeling pretty low right now after having the book thrown at him. We're told Tory is having a hard time processing the sentence, but Baez also says despite that ... Tory's made it clear to him he's going to remain strong and deal with his time behind bars as best as he can.

Jose says Tory is leaning on his faith in God, the support of his friends/family and the indignation his supporters around the world are expressing -- many of whom are loudly lamenting the stiff punishment.

Baez says Tory was hoping the judge would show mercy -- especially with the number of people who went to bat for him in court, including some celebs. We're told the reason there's so much outcry for Tory is because he was genuinely loved in the community ... as he'd done a lot to give back over the years.

In the meantime, Baez insists an appeal is coming.

Tekashi 6ix9ine was back in a familiar spot Wednesday night ... posing for a booking photo after getting arrested in Florida.

The rapper was busted for failing to appear in court and brought to the Palm Beach County Jail, where he mugged for his mug shot. He was later released after posting $2,000 bail.

The arrest stems from 3 traffic tickets Tekashi received after he was pulled over by police in June for driving way over the speed limit.

According to court docs ... Tekashi was going 135 mph in a 65 mph zone on the Florida Turnpike before he was given a ticket for speeding. He was also issued citations for having an unregistered vehicle and no car insurance.

Tekashi failed to appear for a July court hearing to address the tickets ... leading a judge to issue a warrant that resulted in last night's arrest.

6ix9ine has always been a magnet for trouble. His many brushes with the law are notorious and he's perhaps best known for cooperating with the feds in his 2018-2019 racketeering case in which he testified against members of his former gang.

DeVonta Smith cared so much about supporting Henry Ruggs during his sentencing hearing on Wednesday ... the Eagles star was reportedly excused from practice so he could be there in person.

The former Heisman Trophy winner, according to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Jeff McLane, left Birds camp in Philly in order to be in Las Vegas for Ruggs' proceedings.

At the hearing, Ruggs was sentenced to three-to-10 years in prison over the 2021 car crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog -- though it's unclear if Smith actually made it into the courtroom for the ruling.

Of course, Smith and Ruggs formed a great friendship during their time at Alabama ... the two were roommates, and Smith said back in 2021 before the accident that they had always "dreamed of" playing against one another in the NFL.

In fact, Smith added at the time that he considered Ruggs "my brother from another mother."

Following the crash, Smith said he was heartbroken over the tragedy ... explaining he had to lean on his teammates to help him get through the shock of it.

Ruggs, meanwhile, apologized to Tintor's family at the hearing ... saying in a statement to the courtroom that he knows he "hurt so many" with his actions.

O.J. Simpson doesn't understand how Henry Ruggs drove over 155 MPH, intoxicated, killing a 23-year-old and her dog, but could be out in a few years ... while he received a 9 to 33-year sentence in the same courthouse for an armed robbery where no one was hurt.

"The math just does not add up."

76-year-old Simpson shared his thoughts on X ... talking to his nearly 900k followers only hours after the 24-year-old former Raiders star got 3 to 10 years in the death of Tina Tintor.

"I know I went to college on a football scholarship but somehow this math is not adding up to me. You're driving a car at roughly 160 miles per hour on a public street and end up killing a girl and her dog and you get three to ten years?", O.J. asked.

The NFL legend continued ... "You go to a hotel room that you're invited to to retrieve your own personal stolen property, property I now have because it was ruled to be mine by the state of California, and you get nine to 33 years?"

Of course, in 2008 O.J. was sentenced to 33 years in connection to an armed robbery in Las Vegas, with the possibility of parole after 9 years.

Although Simpson was hit with the sentence because he entered a Palace Station hotel room with a gun in 2007, looking to retrieve memorabilia ... many believe Juice got the book thrown at him as a way to punish him for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, more than a decade after he was acquitted of their murders.

O.J. was ultimately paroled after 9 years in 2017 ... and is now a free man.

If Ruggs -- who stood up and apologized in court -- is released the year he's eligible for parole, like Simpson, he'll get out when he's just 27 years old.

A notion Simpson clearly believes doesn't make any sense.

Former NFL cornerback Bashaud Breeland -- a one-time Super Bowl champion -- was arrested this week ... after cops say he was in possession of drugs, a slew of guns and a stolen car.

According to police documents, Breeland was found with the vehicle, the firearms and the contraband at around 3:05 p.m. on Monday after he was pulled over in Charlotte, N.C.

Cops say during the traffic stop, they found the 2020 Mercedes-Benz he was driving had been reported stolen from Florida. They added that during an ensuing search of the car, they found a bevvy of weapons -- including two AR-15s and two AK-47s.

Police also said in the docs they discovered 5.45 pounds of suspected marijuana and 62 grams of suspected mushrooms in the ride ... plus a bunch of cash and drug paraphernalia.

They estimated the suspected drugs to be worth $7,000.

Records show the ex-cornerback was booked into Mecklenburg County Jail at 2:12 a.m. on Tuesday ... on eight total charges -- including possession of a stolen motor vehicle. The records show he was released from custody less than three hours later.

This is not the first time Breeland has been arrested in the past few years ... he was also jailed in South Carolina in 2020 following a scary encounter with cops at a gas station.

Breeland -- who played his college ball at Clemson -- has not logged a snap in the NFL since the 2021 season ... but he had been considered one of the league's better DBs throughout his career.

Bam Margera got in more trouble this week for allegedly being drunk in public ... TMZ has confirmed.

Law enforcement sources tell us the ex-'Jackass' star was busted early Wednesday morning, around 4:30 AM, in Radnor Township -- a suburb just outside of Philly -- after patrolling officers say they saw him arguing loudly with a woman outside of the Radnor Hotel.

Our sources say they stopped, approached Bam and co. ... and claim he smelled like booze and was slurring his speech. We’re told cops took him into custody and transported him to a station nearby -- where he was issued two citations.

One citation was for public intoxication, and the other was for disorderly conduct.

DJ Akademiks apparently still has lingering trauma from interviewing Erykah Badu 5 years ago ... which all spilled out, with much acidity, while discussing the Tory Lanez case on his live stream.

After a commenter called upon Badu to work "her magic" on Ak for his involvement in the Tory trial, Ak exploded with disdain for the R&B songstress, harkening back to their 2018 encounter on "Everyday Struggle" when Badu said he looked like the mouse from "Tom & Jerry."

Ak made it clear the moment still bothers him and roasted Badu for having children with 3 different rappers -- Outkast's André 3000, The D.O.C. and Jay Electronica -- and vowed he'll never let up off the throttle.

When another commenter suggested Badu was just joking, Ak claimed his disrespectful barbs were jokes as well. He says he bottled in the pain for 5 years, after having a tarnished experience of being treated like a stepstool.

Ak was initially triggered by reporter Meghann Cuniff revealing a judge declared Tory was passing him information in the case, a claim Adademiks is denying.

He also spent 10 minutes laying into SZA for her cosmetic surgeries and weight gain, but they've been beefing since 2017 ... nothing new except a fresh round of insults.