Crime & Arrests

Benjamin Kickz, famous for selling rare sneakers to a laundry list of celeb clients, just got arrested in Florida and charged with felony robbery.

Benjamin allegedly swiped an iPhone from another man at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach on New Year’s Eve, walking away with the device as his entourage beat the crap out of the guy ... according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

Authorities say Benjamin believed the man had taken a photo of him without his permission, and when the guy denied snapping a pic, BK allegedly grabbed the phone out of his hands.

The alleged beatdown sounds pretty savage ... authorities claim Benjamin's entourage beat, punched and kicked the guy in the head, causing serious injuries and sending him to the hospital.

Benjamin's known for his sneaker hookups ... and he's sold pairs and rubbed elbows with celebs like Drake, Bad Bunny, Lil Pump, Kodak Black and the late Nipsey Hussle.

Benjamin was booked into Dade County Jail Thursday morning and has been charged with one count of felony strong-arm robbery.

Johnny Depp's crib was hit by a would-be burglar ... but fortunately for him and his neighbors, cops nabbed a suspect before she could get away.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a woman -- possibly homeless -- broke into Depp's Hollywood Hills home over the weekend. We're told the break-in triggered the home's security system and cops were called.

Our sources say the woman may have been spooked by the alarm system because she took off before cops arrived. But, get this ... cops say they found her nearby and also connected her to another recent burglary.

It's unclear if the woman took anything from Depp's home. The investigation's ongoing.

Some alleged criminals apparently saw Dr. Dre was in the hospital because they tried breaking into his home ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

Our sources say 4 men were on Dre's Pacific Palisades property Wednesday around 2 AM. Security spotted them as they were casing the house. Before they could get to the main structure, security confronted them and quickly called police. The men fled, but cops arrived almost immediately and chased the 4 would-be burglars, catching and arresting them.

Law enforcement believes the men saw our story -- that Dre was in the hospital after suffering a brain aneurysm -- and saw a window of opportunity.

The 4 men were arrested for attempted burglary and are currently in custody.

As we first reported, Dre suffered the aneurysm Monday and was rushed by ambulance to the hospital where he remains in the ICU. Doctors are trying to determine what is causing the bleeding. He's in stable condition and is lucid.

Dre sent a message Tuesday night saying he's doing well and thanked everyone for the prayers and well wishes.

Joe Exotic's father has died ... and Joe's loss is now dovetailing with a trip to D.C. for a pardon that would allow Joe to attend his dad's funeral.

We've learned Joe's father, Francis Schreibvogel, recently died following complications from COVID ... The funeral is set for Saturday in Oklahoma, and Joe desperately wants to go.

TMZ broke the story ... Joe's legal team will be flying to Washington D.C. today pushing for that pardon, but now there's an added urgency since the clock is ticking for the funeral.

As we reported, Joe's legal team, headed up by Eric Love, hopped on a friend's jet with a Joe/'Tiger King' wrap that they're flying to D.C. ... making it a show. Love has told TMZ he has a big meeting with someone White House/pardon-related, but he's not saying who.

If Trump doesn't grant the pardon, they have a plan B ... going to a judge and asking for a day pass -- essentially a temporary release -- so Joe can attend his dad's funeral.

A group of Trump supporters protesting on the eve of the 2020 Election results being certified were met with brute force by cops ... who whipped out pepper spray to keep 'em at bay.

Tons of demonstrations were taking place Tuesday night in D.C., where folks who support the President were marching in the streets, holding mini rallies and making their displeasure known ahead of Wednesday's vote in Congress to lock up Joe Biden's victory for good.

Later in the evening, things came to a head near BLM Plaza and Freedom Plaza in Downtown -- not too far from the White House -- where several of these pro-Trump members clashed with MPDC, who started pushing them back ... and then started spraying.

Yes, we're talking about pepper spray -- and there was a lot of it being ejected into the rowdy crowd, sometimes right into guys' faces. Unclear what exactly prompted this specific headbutt, but some eyewitnesses online claim it popped off when the protesters tried entering BLM Plaza, which was being guarded by police.

If you're wondering if anyone was arrested ... oh yeah, people were taken in for allegedly carrying firearms without proper licenses, parading around unregistered ammo and guns, and even assaulting officers.

In all, MPD tells us they busted 10 people. Also, 6 of their officers were injured.

Of course, the sight of Trump supporters duking it out with cops is interesting -- usually, they're the ones supporting law enforcement ... and Trump's proudly touted himself as the law and order President who has staunch support of police.

Miya Ponsetto, the SoHo Karen who attacked a Black teen after falsely accusing him of stealing her iPhone, had a second DUI arrest last year ... and that means a jailhouse jumpsuit could be in her future.

TMZ obtained court records of Ponsetto's DUI arrest from October 3 in Ventura County -- she was charged with DUI, resisting arrest and obstructing or delaying a peace officer or EMT.

She's entered a not guilty plea for that arrest, but the details sound eerily similar to her previous DUI bust. As we first reported, Ponsetto was stopped on May 28 in Malibu and law enforcement sources told us she went wild on cops during the arrest.

Now, on September 28, she ended up pleading no contest, and a judge gave her 3 years probation ... the terms of which call for her to stay out of further legal trouble. So, getting arrested just 5 days later for a 2nd DUI is a serious problem for her.

According to court records, a letter of a possible probation violation has already been sent to L.A. County where she's on probation. It'll be up to the D.A.'s Office and a judge, but Ponsetto's now looking at the possibility of doing time for the violation.

She's due back in court Jan. 28, for the 2nd DUI. She also has a pretrial hearing that same day for a drunk in public arrest from last February in Bev Hills -- and of course, NYPD still wants to talk to her about the iPhone incident.

Bobby Shmurda's 2021 is off to a good start, because the incarcerated rapper could get sprung early -- as soon as next month -- if he can stay out of trouble.

The Department of Corrections just updated the Miami rapper's conditional release date to February 23, 2021 ... which is about 10 months earlier than when his sentence was expected to end at New York's Clinton Correctional Facility.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... this decision was made by the Time Allowance Committee, which consists of prison staff, but not the parole board. We’re told the Committee reviewed Shmurda's behavior and participation in prison programs and decided to bump up his conditional release date.

If he is released, he'll be under parole supervision, but we're told any mess-ups or bad behavior between now and Feb. 23 could nullify the earlier conditional release date ... and he'd likely have to serve out his full sentence until December 11, 2021.

As we first told you ... Shmurda was denied parole in September due to multiple violations while in prison -- including allegedly having a shank, fighting and drug possession. The possibility of a February release would seem to indicate he's turned things around since the parole board's rejection.

As we reported ... the rapper copped a plea deal back in September 2016 to conspiracy to possess weapons and possession of a weapon.

C.J. McMahon -- a decorated horse racing jockey -- was arrested and booked over the weekend for attempted murder, according to officials in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Officials are not revealing specifics about the case -- in fact, one official told TMZ Sports the case is sealed. But, Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office records show the 26-year-old was booked on 1 count of attempted 2nd-degree murder.

McMahon -- who won the Oklahoma Derby in 2016 -- was also booked on a weapons charge and a drug possession charge.

A note in the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office booking records says, "Subject was arrested after traffic stop and drugs were found, also an active warrant."

Again, no word on when or where the alleged attempted murder took place -- or who was targeted. Authorities are being very tight-lipped at the moment.

According to police records, McMahon was initially stopped on Saturday afternoon for a traffic violation -- and when officers ran his name, they noticed an outstanding warrant for his arrest stemming from another incident, presumably the alleged attempted murder.

McMahon posted bond the following day (Sunday) and has since been released from custody.

He's raced everywhere from Lone Star Park to Delta Downs and more -- and has racked up more than 1,000 career victories.

McMahon comes from a horse racing family -- his father was also a jockey.

Attempts to reach McMahon for comment were unsuccessful.

Miya Ponsetto, the SoHo Karen who falsely accused a black teen of stealing her iPhone and then attacked him, went wild on cops when she was arrested last year for DUI.

As we reported, Mia and her mom, Nicole, were charged with another crime last year which involved being drunk in public -- more on that in a minute. But, THE DAY AFTER Miya was charged, cops spotted her in Malibu driving erratically and pulled her over.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Miya copped to being in an altered state, saying she had taken a Xanax and had some wine. Cops asked her to step out of her Range Rover, and that's when the craziness began.

We're told when she got out, cops said they wanted to perform a field sobriety test, which she flat out refused and cops say she was downright belligerent. Our sources say cops tried slapping handcuffs on her, but she resisted and they then took her to the ground.

At that point, cops say Miya threw a tantrum, kicking the ground, thrashing her body and even knocking her head on the pavement.

As we reported, she was taken to jail and booked for DUI. She pled no contest and received 3 years probation, 30 hours of community service and she's required to take a 9-month alcohol/drug counseling program.

As you know, Miya was at a fancy NYC hotel last month when she realized she didn't have her iPhone and immediately zeroed in on the 14-year-old son of Grammy-winning musician, Keyon Harold, who was holding an iPhone, accusing the child of stealing her phone. She attacked Keyon Jr. and New York cops now want to talk to her.

Turns out she seems to have issues with hotels, because early last year she and her mom were at the Peninsula hotel in Bev Hills where employees asked them in vain to leave after they appeared inebriated. The cops came, Miya's mom, Nicole, allegedly pushed and kicked an officer. The mom was arrested for battery on an officer and being drunk in public. Miya was arrested for being drunk in public as well. They pled not guilty and have a hearing next month.

Gotta hand it to Florida in 2021 ... it never disappoints.

Just one hour into the New Year, a massive fight erupts in downtown Sarasota, and it doesn't seem coincidental it's right next to a brewery. The video begins with a skinny guy in a fake Versace shirt taking a fighting stance. The skinny dude tries looking tough ... dancing around as if he's ready to trade blows.

Well, he gets more than he bargains for, because another guy punches him, knocking him back against a car. Then, another guy from the group lends a hand and sucker punches him.

And then ... a guy hovers over the dude and literally uses his face as a punching bag, striking him more than a dozen times.

Another fight then breaks out nearby, and eventually cops come to break it all up.

The Sarasota Police Watch Commander tells TMZ, cops responded to 2 separate fights. In each fight, one person went to the hospital, although no one was seriously injured.

Minneapolis Police just released body cam footage of officers shooting and killing a Black man Wednesday night, but they say he shot first -- a claim the video seems to support.

The incident began as a traffic stop of a man Minneapolis PD say was a suspect in a felony crime. When the video begins 3 cop cars are surrounding the man's vehicle in a gas station parking lot. You can hear one officer yell, "Drop your gun" as another charges toward the scene with his weapon drawn.

As officers yelled for him to stop and put his hands up, the man tried to drive away ... but the cops had him pinned in with their patrol cars. That's when it appears a bullet shattered the windshield of a cop car, and then multiple officers started shooting.

You can hear at least a dozen shots fired. The man was killed ... while his female passenger was not hurt. Police have not identified the man, but his family says it was 23-year-old Dolal Idd.

Lil Tjay couldn't avoid getting arrested this time -- 4 days after NYPD searched him and found nothing, cops pulled him over again ... and now he's facing some serious charges.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the rapper was busted Wednesday afternoon in Brooklyn and booked for criminal possession of a weapon, marijuana possession and grand larceny.

We're told Lil Tjay was in a vehicle with 4 others when cops pulled them over for switching lanes without signaling. Our sources say the officer smelled weed in the car, which resulted in a search and the discovery of 4 loaded handguns and a large amount of marijuana.

We're told neither the rapper nor anyone in the vehicle took ownership of the firearms or the weed, so they were all hit with possession charges. It's unclear why they're also facing the grand larceny charge.

A group of teen suspects in an armed robbery at a high-end fashion store made a break for it to their getaway cars ... but a few of them were left holding the bag.

Beverly Hills police say 10 suspects grabbed handbags and fled from a Fendi store on Rodeo Drive Tuesday night, and video from a passerby caught their escape attempt.

Cops reportedly caught up with one of the 3 getaway vehicles, recovered several stolen Fendi items and took the underage teens into custody. They were later released to their parents, but the other suspects are still at large.

The OG Aunt Viv is pissed ... this time she's taking aim at Lori Loughlin, claiming Hollywood's about to reward her -- after a super light prison sentence -- simply because Lori's white.

"Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" star Janet Hubert's been railing against Lori ever since the actress got out of federal prison on Monday ... after serving just under 2 months for her role in the college admissions scandal.

Following Lori's release, Janet went nuclear ... saying white actresses get new shows and pilots when they commit crimes, and predicted Lori "will get an Emmy for her time in prison."

Janet summed up her disgust with the hashtag #onlyinamerikkka.

Janet's still fuming ... on Wednesday, she compared Lori's 2-month sentence to the 5-year sentence handed down to Tanya McDowell, the Black mother who was punished for sending her kid to the wrong school district.

Remember ... Lori and her husband, Mossimo, entered guilty pleas after prosecutors accused them of paying $500,000 in bribes to get their daughters into USC.

Janet insists her anger isn't just because she's Black ... she added, "there are many white parents who are pissed as well."

Lori Loughlin may have missed spending Christmas with her family but the good news ... she's only 3 days late 'cause she was just released from prison.

The "Full House" star will enjoy the rest of whatever 2020 has to offer after she was sprung free Monday ... and just 2 days shy of serving 2 months for her role in the college admissions scandal.

Lori flew back in style in a private jet that landed early Monday morning at the Van Nuys Airport.

As we reported ... Lori surrendered to authorities at FCI Dublin in California on Halloween Eve. Remember, she surrendered nearly 3 weeks before her November 19 deadline.

Lori, of course, agreed back in May to plead guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Lori -- along with her hubby, Mossimo -- were accused of paying $500k in bribes to get their daughters into USC and faking a photo that made it look like the girls were college-caliber rowers.

Now that Lori's out ... she'll be on 2 years of supervised release. She also has to perform 250 hours of community service. Mossimo was sentenced to 5 months and is still in prison.

Jamar Mackey says the Virginia Beach Police Department's apology for an embarrassing case of mistaken identity rings hollow ... and he wants big changes at the PD.

Jamar, the innocent man who was ripped from his family and handcuffed at a mall because he supposedly matched the description of an alleged credit card fraudster, tells TMZ ... police chief Paul Neudigate is just saying sorry because the incident got national attention.

His fiancée, Shantel Covil, says they want more than an on-camera apology ... they want new rules, laws and police reform ... and they want the officer fired.

The video shows the moment Jamar was yanked from his family while they were eating in a mall food court, with the officer immediately placing him in handcuffs and taking him outside in a humiliating perp walk. Cops finally admitted they had the wrong guy.

The Police Chief apologized a few days after the incident, once it started getting attention ... and while he said he wants to reach out to Jamar to hash things out, Jamar and Shantel tell us no one from the PD has followed through.