Ex-"Deadliest Catch" star Jerod Sechrist has a trifecta -- 3 arrests in 6 months ... this time for theft, and cops say he admits he's doing it to fuel his addiction.
Sechrist was arrested this week at a Tampa residence for 2 outstanding felony warrants for grand theft. The first alleged heist was a bunch of silver, collectible coins and a Rolex. According to cops, he allegedly swiped them from an ex-roommate and then sold them at a pawn shop.
The second warrant was for allegedly walking out of a Home Depot last month with a bucket filled with more than $800 in tools. Cops say he didn't pay, and when a security guard stopped him outside ... Sechrist dropped the bucket and bolted.
The former deckhand only appeared on 3 episodes in 2016 ... but he made a lasting impression with fans because he continually pissed off his crew members.
When cops hauled him in this week, they say he told them he was hooked on heroin and was only stealing to get money for drugs. He asked if he could get treatment for his addiction.
Tommy "Tiny" Lister -- best-known for playing Deebo in the "Friday" movies -- is doing something Ice Cubewould be proud of ... delivering weed!!!
Here's the deal ... the "Friday" star is teaming up with Pineapple Express, a company that delivers medical and recreational marijuana in Los Angeles, and he's dropping off dank to some very lucky stoners.
Pineapple Express is holding a contest this month, and each Friday they randomly select 4 winners from the sweepstakes and those potheads get a special delivery from Deebo!!!
The best part ... Tommy drops off the goods precisely at 4:20 PM, which as you know, holds a special place in the hearts of pot smokers across the globe.
Legal marijuana businesses have been deemed essential in L.A. so they're still operating despite shelter-in-place orders during the coronavirus pandemic ... and Pineapple Express says Tommy's gonna take extra precautions during his deliveries.
Finally, someone who actually wants to see Deebo pull up on a bike!!!
Playboi Carti's been arrested in Georgia on drug and gun-related charges ... TMZ has learned.
According to law enforcement ... the "wokeuplikethis*" rapper got pulled over in his Lambo Thursday for having an expired tag, and Clayton County officers claim they discovered the drugs and weapons in his vehicle during the traffic stop.
As if the coronavirus name thing wasn't enough, now Corona beer won't be brewed at all ... in Mexico, anyway -- not for now.
Grupo Modelo, which brews Corona and several other brands, announced Thursday it would close operations at its 11 breweries in Mexico as of Sunday due to government regulations.
Mexico is closing all businesses deemed non-essential ... and that includes beer. The shutdown will impact Grupo's other brands too -- including Pacifico and all the Modelo brews.
Interestingly, it's open season for alcohol here in the U.S., where booze sales are reportedly booming while more than 40 states are under stay-at-home orders.
As the spread of coronavirus reached pandemic levels, there were several reports the beer sales were sagging, because ... well, people are simple and superstitious. However, company honchos claimed sales were actually up 5% in March.
The point is moot now -- and depending on how long the Mexican plants are closed ... a 6-pack of Corona could become a commodity.
Dr. Drew says the coronavirus pandemic is creating dangerous sink or swim conditions for drug addicts and alcoholics.
The danger doesn't come from the virus itself, instead, Drew tells us it's the quarantines that have people hooked on booze or substances really going through it right now. He says many are relapsing due to a lack of personal communication and a face-to-face support system they may be used to during normal times.
Dr. Drew says that spells trouble for some, especially those just starting out in their journey to sobriety. He worries that the longer this goes on, the longer they're more at risk to do harm to themselves.
On the flip side, there's another type of addict who can emerge. He says some alcoholics and addicts actually thrive in situations like these, where their adrenaline is pumping and the stakes are high.
It's interesting ... a lot of AA meetings have, in fact, moved to digital platforms -- but Drew says it's really up to the individual in how they manage this separation from people. Funny enough, he also has a take on the fact liquor stores and weed shops are still open.
They're considered essential businesses, and whether there's any merit to it or not ... Drew says there's gotta be supplemental help if you're gonna keep an addict's fix within arm's reach.
3:45 PM PT -- Jon has just broken his silence on the situation ... saying he's "disappointed" in himself for letting people down.
UPDATE
Here's the full statement issued through Jon's rep Denise White:
UPDATE
"While we all work to understand and cope with stress and uncertainties surrounding the current state of our world, I want to express how truly disappointed I am that I have become the source of a negative headline again, especially during these trying times."
UPDATE
"I am disappointed for letting down the people I care about the most, my family, friends and my fans. This morning I entered into a plea deal with the Albuquerque DA's office. I accept full responsibility for my actions and I know that I have some personal work to do to which involves the unhealthy relationship I have with alcohol."
UPDATE
"I have dedicated so much time and energy to improve my community, and I will not allow this personal setback to hinder my work within the community when we need it most. I truly appreciate the support I have received from the community of Albuquerque and all my fans around the world. I very much look forward to putting this behind me."
UPDATE
"Thank you all for your continued love and support and please take care of yourselves."
UFC superstar Jon Joneshas pled guilty to driving while intoxicated stemming from a March 26 arrest in New Mexico, officials tell TMZ Sports.
The reigning UFC light heavyweight champ has struck a deal with prosecutors in which he agreed to 1-year supervised probation. The sentence has not yet been approved by a judge but that's just a matter of time at this point.
As part of the deal, Jones will serve 96 hours in a community custody program -- which is a form of incarceration, but not in a traditional jail cell. We're told it's similar to house arrest. He will wear an ankle monitor, which allows authorities to make sure he doesn't leave his residence unless he has permission.
Officials say Jones will be ordered to "complete a minimum of 90 day out-patient treatment, maximum fines and fees, community service and all other requirements of reporting to probation."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials are allowing Jones to participate in the outpatient program via video conferencing.
As for the community service, Jones must complete 48 total hours.
Jones must also install an ignition interlock device in any vehicle he operates -- which requires him to complete a breathalyzer (to test for alcohol) before the car will start.
"His attorney and Mr. Jones have been made aware that if he fails to do this, the State will seek to impose the balance of any jail time without regard for any exceptional circumstances," officials say.
Get this ... officials WILL allow Jones to use marijuana during his probation, as long as he has a valid medical card.
As we previously reported, Jones was arrested around 1 AM on March 26 after cops responded to reports of gunfire in the Albuquerque area.
When cops found Jones alone in his Jeep, he appeared intoxicated and admitted to drinking earlier in the evening.
As for the other charges, which include negligent use of a deadly weapon and open containers, those will be dropped in exchange for Jones' guilty plea on the DWI.
Dallas Cowboys WR Ventell Bryant took at least 3 DUI tests prior to his arrest this month -- and cops say he bombed ALL OF THEM ... and it's all on police video obtained by TMZ Sports.
Bryant was pulled over in Tampa, Fla. at around 2:30 AM on March 11 after cops say he was driving his 2019 Dodge Charger without headlights on.
Officers say during the stop, the 23-year-old NFL player had bloodshot eyes, smelled like booze and admitted to having 3 margaritas before getting behind the wheel.
Cops got Bryant out of the car and onto the street ... and you can see in police footage, the Cowboys wideout went through a litany of tests to determine his sobriety.
Officers made Bryant -- who caught a TD pass from Dak Prescottlast season -- walk in a straight line, balance on one leg and touch his fingers to his nose while looking up at the sky.
In the video, it didn't seem like Bryant outwardly bombed the tests ... but cops clearly felt differently, 'cause they slapped the cuffs on him in a hurry.
"Arrested?" Bryant asks one of the officers. "I can't afford this, bruh!"
You can see Bryant's friends were NOT happy to learn of the football player's arrest ... and when one asked which sobriety test Ventell failed, the cop replied, "Every single last one of them!"
Bryant -- a rookie who was signed by the Cowboys just before last season and is expected to compete for a roster spot with Dallas in 2020 -- was charged with misdemeanor DUI.
He's due in court for a hearing on the matter later next month.
Post Malone is fighting coronavirus in the most Posty way possible -- he's rounding up his biggest celeb friends for a virtual beer pong tournament for the ages!!!
TMZ has learned ... the "Circles" singer teamed up with his good friend and fellow rapper, MIKE -- FKA Mike Stud -- to put on a huge Instagram Live event to raise money for COVID-19 relief, dubbed "The Ballina Cup."
So, how did this come to be?? A lot of the participants organically got involved after being guests on MIKE's "Ya Never Know: You Know What I Mean?" podcast hosted by Notorious.
The tournament will take place over 8 days starting next week ... with 2 matchups per night (from the comfort of everyone's homes. Remember, social distancing!!)
The winning team will go home with a dope trophy, wrestling belts and chains to commemorate the victory.
There are no betting odds on the tourney just yet, but remember -- MIKE and Post won $50k on a game in the past, so you know they got skillz.
We're told all the participants will chip in their fair share of dough to help those battling the coronavirus pandemic ... so it's not all just for getting lit during quarantine.
And that's what we like to call partying with a purpose.
Jon Jones told police he had vodka before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep Thursday morning -- and needed to get out of the house because he was going '"stir-crazy" during the coronavirus pandemic.
It's all on police body cam footage from Jon's DWI arrest in Albuquerque, New Mexico ... with the UFC superstar calmly trying to explain to officers why he drank and then drove.
"I literally just got stir-crazy," Jones said ... "I just wanted to have a drive. This is my first drive in 2 weeks. And, I saw these homeless guys. I was being nice to them, having conversation with them, treating them like humans.”
During the stop, Jon said he has "really bad" short-term memory -- and blamed it on the fact he's a UFC fighter who gets "punched in the head" for a living.
"My short-term memory is really bad."
Jones was given multiple field sobriety tests including balancing, counting and reciting the alphabet. It did not go well. He struggled mightily.
Jones was ultimately arrested and booked for aggravated driving while intoxicated, negligent use of a deadly weapon and possession of an open container.
As we previously reported, cops say he fired a black handgun at some point during the evening -- which is why they were called to the scene in the first place.
Cops say they found a gun and a half-empty bottle of booze in Jon's car while searching the vehicle.
While officers are putting Jon in the car, he's overcome with emotion and begins to weep -- telling the officers, "I'm scared for my family."
At one point, Jon tells one of the officers, "I love you guys so much. I actually wanted to be a police officer when I grew up."
The coronavirus pandemic is not stopping substance abuse centers from offering inpatient care ... but precautions are in place and one center is even testing for the virus.
Centers from across the country are all telling us the same thing ... they aren't turning folks away unless they have symptoms associated with coronavirus. They're also exercising their pandemic contingency plans, remaining cautious and have so far steered clear of the virus' spread.
Honchos at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, which has inpatient care at 5 residential sites across the country, tell TMZ ... they're screening anyone who comes in seeking help for substance abuse, and staff is monitoring patients' temperatures and checking for symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath.
If a patient shows symptoms common with COVID-19, they will be discharged with a bundle of resources and information to get the proper treatment for the virus.
Hazelden Betty Ford tells us they see this as fighting 2 diseases: addiction and COVID-19 ... and the vast majority of their patients are saying they feel safe despite the looming threat of coronavirus.
The residential sites are also making sure staff wash their hands, disinfect the clinics and maintain physical distancing. Auditorium lectures have been replaced with video streams, and a virtual outpatient program is launching soon.
Meanwhile, the main campus of Caron Treatment Centers in Wernersville, PA is running at close to max capacity with 150 in-house patients ... according to Dr. Joseph Garbely.
During recent screenings at Caron, we're told triage nurses isolated 3 patients who were coughing and doctors tested them for the virus, out of an abundance of caution, but the results all came back negative.
While awaiting results, we're told the patients were held in isolation and given iPads to stream group classes and work on group therapy. They were also monitored by nurses in full protective gear.
The main campus is also practicing CDC guidelines ... social distancing, hand washing and no sharing of toiletries. We're told doctors are using livestreaming to interact with patients.
One patient on Caron's Florida campus was in isolation after exhibiting a low-grade fever, but their test came back negative ... they participated in group therapy via iPad while awaiting test results.
John Finlay -- one of the stars of the hit Netflix docuseries 'Tiger King' and Joe Exotic's ex-husband -- has a nice new set of pearly whites ... that almost make him look like a different person.
John tells TMZ ... he actually got his teeth redone in July 2019 all at once -- they're dentures -- and he's a little miffed at Netflix and the filmmakers because they never showed it.
We're told there's plenty of footage and photos of John fixing his smile but for whatever reason ... none of it made the final cut of 'Tiger King.'
Finlay also wants to clarify something about his gnarly teeth -- they weren't the result of meth abuse. Though John admits meth was a drug of choice for him in the doc, we're told his teeth were messed up before that, due to genetic reasons. He told us he has not touched drugs in 6 years.
John is currently working as a welder and living in central Oklahoma with his fiancee Stormey. We're told she's the one with John at the end of the series when he's getting his Joe Exotic tattoo reworked.
As for why Finlay's shirtless the entire time he's being interviewed on 'Tiger King' ... our sources say that was the idea of one of the producers, and John went with it.
For more on Finlay, ya gotta watch 'Tiger King' on Netflix, and also check out the podcast "Joe Exotic: Tiger King" by Robert Moor on Joe Exotic's story ... including more with John.
UFC superstar Jon Jones was arrested for DWI and a gun charge in New Mexico Thursday morning, TMZ Sports has confirmed.
Cops say they responded to reports of gunfire in Albuquerque at around 1 AM -- and when they arrived at the scene, they found Jones inside a 2019 Jeep with the engine running and the car in park.
Jon denied firing a gun -- but officers say he appeared intoxicated (bloodshot, watery eyes and reeked of booze) and conducted a field sobriety test, which he allegedly bombed.
He also took a breathalyzer, twice, and registered over the legal limit both times.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, cops say they found a black handgun and a half-empty bottle of tequila behind the passenger seat.
He was arrested and booked for aggravated driving while intoxicated, negligent use of a deadly weapon and possession of an open container.
We're told Jones was booked and released and has a bond arraignment court date set for April 9.
We're also told the probation Jon got in his strip club slap case had ended on Jan. 8.
Jones has been arrested for drunk driving in the past -- back in 2012, he pled guilty to DUI after crashing his Bentley into a pole in upstate New York.
Jon has spoken publicly about his issues with substance abuse -- including cocaine -- and it seemed like he was winning the battle.
Jones is widely considered the best MMA fighter of all time -- and he's the current UFC light heavyweight champion with victories over stars like Dominick Reyes, Daniel Cormier and Rampage Jackson.
Aging whiskey's cool and all, but not when there's a shortage of hand sanitizer ... enter Copper Fiddle Distillery.
The Lake Zurich, Illinois-based company has seen its whiskey, rum and bourbon sales dry up but it's stepping up in a huge way to help first-responders fight the raging coronavirus pandemic ... by turning its alcohol into some much-needed hand sanitizer, free of charge.
A state senator reportedly asked owner Andrew Macker last week if he'd be up to the challenge. So far, there have been more than enough donations made to help the company crank out the supply in droves.
Macker told The Daily Herald, they've so far made around 100 bottles with another batch coming hopefully by the end of the month. They reportedly used about 45 cases of unsold bottles of rum -- converting them from 80 proof to 160 proof -- to get the first batch done.
BTW ... tons of other distilleries across the country are also jumping in to help. Tito's Handmade Vodka also announced it'll do the same. Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff will also donate more than 500,000 gallons of neutral grain spirit that'll be converted into 8 million bottles of hand sanitizer.
Anheuser-Busch, the nation's largest beer company, is also getting in the mix ... with hand sanitizer being made at their breweries and distributed by the American Red Cross, among others.
NBA star-turned-marijuana mogul Al Harrington says his Viola company's sales are through the roof since the coronavirus scare took over the U.S. ... and now he's scrambling to meet the demand.
Of course, Harrington has turned into a highly successful weed advocate and entrepreneur in his post-playing days ... sharing the medical benefits for athletes, as well as, the average folk.
We spoke with Harrington about the insane demand for cannabis products right now -- after all, EVERYBODY is stressing out over COVID-19 -- and he says his sales have DOUBLED.
"The challenge is gonna be making sure that we can keep up with the demand at this point," Harrington tells TMZ Sports.
"Everybody is stocking up on their favorite brands. I feel like the 'canna-curious' is really steppin' up right now, especially when you're stuck in the house with your kids 24 hours a day."
Harrington says the weed industry is booming just like toilet paper ... with people stocking up and worrying about when they'll be able to get more.
Harrington says his employees are following all the restrictions and taking extra steps to make sure they're safe during the pandemic ... but hopes the government continues to allow them to stay open as an "essential" business.
"The main thing we have to make sure of is our government views it as essential, 'cause a lot of people use cannabis for medicine and it would be a travesty if they decide to take that off and not allow people access to cannabis."
Austin Seferian-Jenkins was high, drunk AND speeding when he was arrested for DUI last week ... this according to cops in new police docs obtained by TMZ Sports.
Oh, and cops also say he didn't have the ignition interlock device installed in his car, stemming from a court order from a previous DUI.
A Gig Harbor PD officer claims the NFL free agent was doing 48 MPH in a 30 in Gig Harbor, Wash. on March 9 at around 1 AM ... when the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer began driving erratically.
According to the officer, ASJ was swerving in his 2016 Dodge Charger ... and nearly turned onto a wrong-way offramp before he cut across multiple lanes of traffic without a blinker.
The officer eventually pulled over Seferian-Jenkins ... and says in the report, the tight end told him he was just headed toward a local McDonald's for some late-night grub.
But, the officer says he noticed ASJ reeked of booze and burnt weed ... and also claims the 27-year-old's eyes were red and bloodshot.
The cop says when Seferian-Jenkins got out of the car, he was swaying in circles when he was standing still ... and after the NFL player refused field sobriety tests, the officer arrested him on the scene, claiming he believed ASJ was both drunk and high.
Seferian-Jenkins was eventually hit with 3 charges ... 1 count of DUI, 1 count of driving with a suspended license, and 1 count of operating a vehicle without an ignition interlock device, which tests the driver's breath for alcohol before they can start the vehicle.
The order for the device likely stems from a previous DUI arrest -- Seferian-Jenkins has been busted for DUI twice before ... once in 2013 and again in 2016.
ASJ was also issued a civil infraction for speeding and improper lane change ... and was arraigned on the charges on March 11.
Seferian-Jenkins signed with the New England Patriots last offseason but was cut before the 2019 season began. In his career, he has 116 catches for 1,160 yards.
No one's gonna call the coronavirus pandemic good news -- but folks in the legal marijuana biz will at least say there's a silver, or green, lining for them.
THC Design, one of the largest cannabis suppliers in the game, tells TMZ ... they saw a 300% increase in sales this week -- a spike they attribute completely to the outbreak.
THC Design supplies 275 dispensaries and 20 delivery service platforms in Cali, so yeah ... they're in high demand.
Despite the huge consumer demand, THC Design says it's not hiring new employees ... at least not yet. Sorry to burst your bubble, recently-unemployed stoners.
As for its current workforce, THC Design tells us it's taking extra steps to keep the workplace safe -- the main facility in Downtown L.A. has a new sterilization procedure for all employees entering the building.
Among the new safety procedures -- handwashing with isopropyl alcohol to completely sterilize, separating the workforce and allowing office staff to work from home, scrapping communal lunches, and making everyone enter from the same entrance to make sure they're sanitized.
Which reminds us ... wash your hands AND your bongs, too!!! Oh, if Dr. Fauci would only say that at the next White House briefing.
