Crime & Arrests

Coby Daniel, the 6-year-old boy in Michigan who was shot outside a neighbor's home while picking up his bike is struggling mentally to recover, and will absolutely need professional help ... according to his father.

Arnold Daniel tells TMZ ... his son is showing obvious signs of mental scars, and has not been able to sleep alone in his own bed -- something he'd been doing since he was 2.

Coby tries to sleep in his bed, but Arnold says he always ends up next to him ... and sometimes asks troubling questions like, "Why would [the alleged shooter] do that?"

As we reported, the neighbor, Ryan Le-Nguyen allegedly shot Coby in the arm after chasing him with a sledgehammer. Coby put on a brave face describing the incident to a reporter for FOX 2 Detroit -- but Arnold says his boy is utterly confused about why anyone would want to hurt him.

He says he's set up an appointment for Coby to see a therapist next week to help him make sense of everything.

Physical therapy is also on the horizon, but only after Coby's gunshot wound fully heals.

Arnold says he's taking time off from work to care for Coby, and cope with his own anxiety. He says it subsided a bit once Le-Nguyen's bond was revoked, and police took him back into custody.

As we reported, there was a massive outcry over Le-Nguyen's initial release on a $10k cash bond. His bail has since been increased to $100k.

If you've ever wondered who hunts down poachers and pirates in international water, and brings them to justice ... you're looking at him, and he has a crazy story to tell.

Captain Peter Hammarstedt joined "TMZ Live" Friday to give us the inside scoop on his crew's chilling, high-stakes mission to track down an illegal fishing boat called Thunder. He says they spent more than 100 days in dangerous, iceberg-filled water, and their efforts are the subject of the new documentary, 'Chasing the Thunder.'

The Captain explained why his organization, the Sea Shepherd Society, was after "the most notorious poaching vessel in the world" and details the extreme conditions his ship, Bob Barker, battled to keep up and try to capture it.

The pursuit crossed 3 oceans and covered more than 10,000 nautical miles ... and you gotta see Captain Pete's reveal of how it ended. It's absolutely wild, and shows you the kind of people he was up against out there.

Darnella Frazier -- the teenager who recorded George Floyd's death under Derek Chauvin's knee -- has just earned a special citation in this year's Pulitzer Prize.

Pulitzer Prize co-chair Mindy Marqués said during Friday's announcement that the Floyd story, in particular, highlighted not only the essential role of journalists, but the increasing importance of ordinary citizens.

She added, "We want to note that the board has awarded a special citation to Darnella Frazier, the teenage witness who filmed and posted the transformative video that jolted viewers and spurred protests against police brutality around the world."

The honor was presented after the board awarded the Minneapolis Star-Tribune with the Pulitzer -- arguably journalism's most prestigious award -- for its reporting of Floyd's death and the aftermath.

Darnella was 17 when she whipped out her phone to record the fatal arrest. After posting the video on social media, it spread like wildfire across the globe, sparking a worldwide movement against police brutality.

But, after the video went viral, Darnella said she had to move away from her home for safety. She also suffered anxiety attacks and couldn't sleep ... often times waking up shaking until her mom rocked her back to sleep.

On the 1-year anniversary of Floyd's death ... Darnella said even though it was a traumatic life-changing experience, she was still proud of herself. She added, “If it weren’t for my video, the world wouldn’t have known the truth.”

El Chapo's wife is following his footsteps to a federal prison ... she's pled guilty to drug trafficking charges.

Emma Coronel Aispuro appeared in federal district court Thursday in Washington D.C. and pled guilty to 3 charges, including money laundering and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana.

According to the judge, Emma could receive a maximum sentence of life in prison -- just like Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman -- and the drug trafficking charge alone carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years behind bars. So she's looking at hard time.

As we reported ... El Chapo's wife was busted at Dulles International Airport back in February and the feds charged her with conspiracy to distribute 5 kilos or more of cocaine, 1 kilo of heroin, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 1,000 kilos or more of marijuana for importation into the U.S.

El Chapo, meanwhile, is rotting in prison as part of his life sentence ... so he may never see his esposa again.

Suspended Virginia Tech linebacker Isi Etute told cops he beat the hell out of a 40-year-old after the man had catfished him ... this according to prosecutors.

Officials made the stunning revelation in a Virginia courtroom Wednesday ... explaining Etute broke it all down for cops during their murder investigation days ago.

Prosecutors say Etute told the cops he had matched with a person named "Angie" on Tinder believing she was a woman -- and had met up with her for oral sex on April 10.

Officials say Etute then told cops he and "Angie" set up another date on May 31, but when he discovered there that she was actually a man -- the football player attacked.

Prosecutors say Etute told cops he punched the victim several times in the face and also stomped on him.

Prosecutors say Etute added that he did not call cops after the attack, despite hearing "bubbling and gurgling" as he left the apartment.

The man was found dead two days later ... with officials saying he had missing teeth and broken bones in his face and skull.

But, Etute's attorney, Jimmy Turk, appeared to defend the football player's alleged actions ... saying in court, "Nobody deserves to die, but I don’t mind saying, don’t pretend you are something that you are not."

"Don’t target or lure anyone under that perception. That’s just wrong."

Etute -- who's been charged with 2nd-degree murder -- was granted bail at the hearing and is due back in court in September.

Silento's not getting out of jail, at least not for now ... a judge just denied his request to be let out on bond in his murder case.

The "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" rapper had a bond hearing Wednesday in DeKalb County, GA where the judge ruled Silento's history of mental health issues -- coupled with a history of not taking his meds -- made him too risky to be let out on bond while his case is pending.

The judge also cited concerns raised by the prosecutor about Silento's history of being in denial of his mental health issues, specifically noting that the rapper once left a mental health facility in California. The judge also mentioned there was no telling what could happen if Silento decides NOT to take his meds ... noting this would put the community at serious risk.

Prosecutors said even his grandparents argued in strong opposition to the bond.

Silento's legal team tried painting a more favorable picture ... calling him a local treasure who was once on the Governor's Blue Ribbon panel urging kids to stay away from drugs and alcohol. His team says Silento's problem stems from his bipolar disorder, and other mental health issues he's battled for years.

But, the judge didn't go for it ... and ordered Silento to remain behind bars.

A Philly cop inadvertently busted himself pulling an illegal move ... at least that's the claim of a man who recorded his own arrest, only to see that video deleted -- allegedly by the arresting officer -- and now a lawsuit's coming.

According to the police report ... a Philly cop identified as Officer Burnett says he noticed a pickup truck idling for 10-15 minutes at a gas station back in March, so police ran the plates and it came back to Jacob Giddings.

Cops say Giddings had an active warrant for assault, so Officer Burnett asked him to step out of the vehicle, and when he "started to resist" ...  Burnett used force to pull him out.

However, Burnett's body cam was activated, and as you can see ... it captured Giddings apparently recording the incident on his phone from inside his truck. That fact is not mentioned in the police report.

Based on Burnett's body cam, it looks like Giddings lost his phone in the struggle. Later, after Giddings was in custody, the officer picked up the phone and appeared to gain access to the footage. He hits a few commands, but it's not clear from the footage what he did.

Giddings, from the police car's backseat, is heard asking Burnett if the video is still on his phone, and the cop says he doesn't know -- but Giddings believes Burnett deleted the vid.

According to the police report, cops also found marijuana on Giddings and he was arrested and charged with one count of resisting arrest and one count of drug possession. During the bust he suffered minor cuts to his wrist from the handcuffs, and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Giddings has lawyered up, and his attorney, Donte Mills of Mills &. Edwards LLP, tells TMZ ... they'll be suing Philadelphia PD for excessive force and assault, tampering with evidence, false arrest and malicious prosecution.

Mills says they later recovered Giddings' arrest video from his iCloud account. We're told Giddings is still being prosecuted, and he doesn’t believe Burnett has been disciplined.

Ex-NFL star Thomas Davis Sr. claims he has surveillance video showing two men breaking into his home and stealing his expensive McLaren supercar and wrecking it ... and now, he's offering a reward for help IDing the "idiots" involved.

The former Carolina Panthers linebacker claims the security video shows two men inside his garage this week -- sifting through his things ... before getting in his McLaren and taking it for a joy ride.

38-year-old Davis claims the men eventually crashed the car ... and he posted photos to his IG page which appear to show the major damage to his beloved vehicle.

Davis says he's now offering a reward for anyone who can help him find the men.

"If any of you recognize either one of these idiots that decided it was good idea to come into my home and go through all of my cars and even steal and wreck my McLaren. I’m offering a cash reward for anyone that can help identify who these guys are!"

We've reached out to law enforcement to see if they're investigating, but so far, no word back yet.

Davis was a star in the NFL for over a decade -- a 3-time Pro Bowl selection and a 1st-team All-Pro pick in 2015. He retired after the 2020 season.

Davis reportedly made over $70 MILLION in his 15-year NFL career.

PGA champ Angel Cabrera -- who won The Masters in 2009 -- has been extradited back to his home country of Argentina ... where he's set to face charges of attacking 3 different women.

The 51-year-old golf star -- nicknamed "El Pato" -- was arrested in Brazil back in January after officials say he was considered to be a fugitive of justice after bailing on a meeting with prosecutors.

The women accusing Cabrera include 2 ex-girlfriends and his ex-wife.

As we previously reported, one of the women accused the golfer of punching her in the face, making threats and trying to run her over with his car in '16.

Another woman, Cabrera's ex-wife, Silva Rivadero, also reportedly filed two charges against the golfer ... including assault and threats.

Cabrera is already in custody in Argentina -- and his trial is reportedly slated for July.

And, get this ... Cabrera's defense isn't that he didn't attack the women, it's that the incidents weren't really that bad.

SERIOUSLY, THAT'S HIS DEFENSE!

Cabrera's attorney, Carlos Hairabedian, told TN Todo Noticias, "The accusations come from long ago ... and he was not in jail because the facts attributed to him are insignificant. They are light injuries."

WHAT?!?

YouTube stars Kyle Forgeard and Steve Deleonardis added 6 figures to the reward in a fatal freeway shooting case in California ... and soon after, cops arrested 2 suspects.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the Nelk Boys recently donated over $100,000 to boost the reward for info on what police are calling a road rage killing -- one that left a young boy dead.

6-year-old Aiden Leos was shot and killed May 21 on the 55 Freeway in Orange, CA while on his way to kindergarten with his mother ... and we're told the Nelk Boys felt heartbroken for the single mom and wanted to help find her son's killer.

Our sources say the Nelk Boys, who live in Orange County, hit up the District Attorney expressing a desire to raise the reward for information on the case ... donating $100,000 along with their partner John Shahidi on May 30 as the reward swelled last week to at least $500k.

By Sunday, the California Highway Patrol said they had arrested 2 suspects, 24-year-old Marcus Anthony Eriz and 23-year-old Wynne Lee, near where the shooting happened. The CHP says the pair are expected to be charged with murder.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the reward is for the arrest and conviction of the young boy's killer, so it will be a while before any reward or part of the reward is paid out.

We're told law enforcement is still investigating.

A Texas mom's social experiment ended up with her facing criminal charges after she successfully infiltrated a middle school disguised as her 13-year-old daughter.

The lady's name is Casey Garcia ... a 30-year-old who's got a 7th grader attending Garcia-Enriquez Middle School near El Paso ... whose security process she wanted to test by going "undercover" as a student ... just to see how far she could get without being caught.

Garcia recorded her experience and posted the footage on YouTube, TikTok and other social media platforms -- which have taken off and gone viral. It's pretty crazy ... she does a full incognito attempt, undergoing a makeup routine and a wardrobe change to pull it off.

Sure enough, she does kinda resemble a middle schooler -- granted, the face mask she had to wear certainly helped. Still, she made it through about 85% of the school day undetected.

Garcia is seen walking through the halls, interacting with faculty, sitting in class listening to lectures, and even eating lunch at one point ... and no one seems to notice she's an adult. Eventually, the jig was up ... somebody called her out and reported her to the principal.

She went willingly -- and even though she seemed to think it was NBD ... the administration thought differently, getting the police involved who busted her for falsifying records and for trespassing. The incident happened Tuesday, but she wasn't booked until this past Friday.

Again, the whole point of doing this was to show that the school was a little too lax when it came to vetting students ... especially as kids start heading back to campus in person.

Of course, people were concerned Garcia could get in so easily ... which could pose bigger problems if it was someone who meant to do harm. The superintendent reportedly sent a note to parents saying they were reviewing and revamping their security measures.

If this sounds like something straight out of a movie, that's because it kinda is. Drew Barrymore did something similar in "Never Been Kissed" -- except that was high school.

Jeff Lowe is continuing to take legal lumps -- the current owner of Joe Exotic's onetime 'Tiger King' zoo was behind bars to kick off his weekend ... this after a DUI bust.

Lowe and his wife, Lauren, were both arrested early Saturday morning in Oklahoma County for driving under the influence ... and it looks like Jeff might've been the one behind the wheel, because the Sheriff's Office also booked him on a changing lanes improperly charge.

Since it appears Jeff was driving it's unclear why Lauren was also arrested for DUI.

The Lowes were brought to jail around 4 AM ... and they posed for these mugs while getting processed. We weren't quite sure that was Jeff at first without his signature bandana/cap combo -- but yep, that's him alright. Last we checked, they were still in custody.

The details of the arrest/alleged incident haven't surfaced yet -- but in any case, it's the latest hit Jeff and co. have taken when it comes to Johnny Law ... both on the state and federal level.

As you might recall ... he had a couple run-ins with law enforcement earlier in the month of May, as they steadily confiscated dozens of his big cats and other animals that he had at his zoo ... which the feds claim weren't being properly cared for or, in some cases, were malnourished, allegedly violating federal guidelines.

So, yeah ... the dude's had it rough lately, and this is just the most recent ding.

Fans of the former zoo owner might be rubbing their hands together in glee watching Jeff's proverbial fall from grace right now -- as some believe he did Joe dirty and helped land him in prison ... where JE currently remains as he continues to try and fight for his release.

Lil Reese is in more than a little trouble just 2 weeks after getting shot in the eye -- he's been arrested for allegedly beating the crap out of his girlfriend.

The Chicago MC was arrested on May 29 around 10:30 PM, after cops were called to his home. According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, his GF told cops the couple got into a heated argument that allegedly turned physical.

Cops say she claims Reese pulled her hair and struck her in the face with a closed fist ... causing abrasion to her lower lip, which was visible to the responding officers. Reese was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery.

He was later released after posting a $10,000 bond.

The arrest comes on the heels of Reese getting shot in his hometown just a couple of weeks ago. As we reported ... the scene was a bloody mess after someone opened fire into a Dodge Durango that was reportedly stolen.

Reese was accused of being involved with the alleged carjacking, but he's reportedly denied that to cops. Nevertheless ... he was caught in the crossfire that injured 2 other people as well.

This is Yana Sizikova ... the pro tennis player suspected of taking BRIBES in a match-fixing scheme at the 2020 French Open.

... and now she's behind bars.

The 26-year-old Russian player -- currently ranked #765 in the world by the WTA -- was taken into custody in Paris on Thursday evening, officials confirm.

Sizikova was in France competing in the 2021 French Open -- and had lost in a doubles match earlier in the day.

Now, prosecutors say she's facing charges of "sports bribery and organized fraud for acts likely to have been committed in Sept. 2020."

Here's the deal ... Sizikova -- who's ranked #101 as a doubles player -- was involved in a doubles match at the 2020 French Open that was flagged after bookmakers noticed unusual bets being made.

Officials say hundreds of thousands of euros were wagered on the match -- and then noticed Sizikova was playing unusually bad.

After an investigation, prosecutors believe they have enough evidence to prove Sizikova was tanking on purpose as part of a match-fixing scheme.

So far, no official comment from Sizikova -- who is reportedly still in custody.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Malik Beasley will likely have to watch the rest of the NBA playoffs from jail ... TMZ Sports has confirmed he just started his 120-day sentence.

Jail and court officials tell us ... Beasley was booked into Wright County Jail in Minnesota on Tuesday -- ready to serve his punishment stemming from that bizarre gun incident in Sept. 2020.

You'll recall ... prosecutors say Beasley exploded on a family after they had been in his driveway -- alleging the 24-year-old NBA player pointed a gun at the people and ordered them to scram.

Beasley was initially hit with 2 charges over it all -- felony threats of violence and felony drug possession -- but he cut a deal with prosecutors months later to close out the case.

Beasley pled guilty to the threats charge ... and in exchange, the drug charge was dropped and Beasley was ultimately sentenced to 120 days in jail.

Initially, Beasley was set to begin the sentence on May 26 ... though a court official tells us it ended up being pushed to June 1.

Beasley posed for a mug shot when he was booked ... and you can see, he wasn't exactly thrilled to be behind bars.

It's been an eventful last few days for the NBA player ... remember, he just issued a public apology to his wife and family for his fling with Larsa Pippen.

New details in the Marcell Ozuna domestic violence arrest -- cops say his wife claimed the MLB star threatened to kill her during a heated dispute "over an infidelity."

It's all in the booking report obtained by TMZ Sports ... in which Sandy Springs Police Officers describe what happened when they arrived to the Atlanta Braves star's Georgia home on May 29.

Two officers say they responded to a report of a domestic dispute -- and the alleged victim told them 30-year-old Ozuna had "took both her cell phones from the bathroom while she showered without her consent."

When she demanded Ozuna return the phones, Marcell allegedly refused -- and then "He threatened to kill her and she threatened to call 911," according to the report.

The woman told cops she took HIS cell phone and called 911 -- and that's when Ozuna tried to leave the property.

But, the woman claims she followed him outside and chased him around a vehicle.

Ultimately, the woman went back inside and locked the door -- and then grabbed a "large kitchen knife" to defend herself.

The woman claims Ozuna got back inside the house and "continued to yell and verbally abuse her."

The woman says she brandished the knife by her hip and "warned [Ozuna] that if he got closer, she was going to hurt him."

"She added that she was afraid for her life due to his aggressive behavior."

The woman says she eventually put the knife down -- but Ozuna continued to act aggressively ... at one point he "pushed his left hand and forearm, (which was in a hard cast) against her face, pushing her back and mushing her in the face with it several times."

The woman says she tussled with Ozuna and he pushed her onto the ground. He then grabbed her by the throat and held her up against the wall ... and that's when one of the officers entered the home and witnessed the strangulation.

Ozuna stopped the attack when he saw the cops, the report says.