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Law enforcement sources in Suffolk Co. tell us James Burke allegedly exposed his penis to a plain-clothed male park ranger around 10 AM Tuesday, and while touching himself, discussed oral sex with the ranger.

In all, Burke's been charged with attempting to solicit a sexual act, public lewdness, indecent exposure and criminal solicitation.

James Burke -- the former Suffolk County Police Chief heavily criticized for derailing the Gilgo Beach murders investigation due to his ties to sex workers -- has been arrested for attempting to solicit a sex act.

The Tuesday morning arrest at Suffolk County's Vietnam War Memorial is remarkable because Burke was known to frequent sex workers back when he was Chief in the Long Island, NY community -- from 2012 to 2015 -- and many believe that's why he bungled the investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders ... as all the victims were sex workers.

Burke was previously arrested in 2015 for beating up a suspect in custody, and he was eventually convicted and served 46 months in prison.

Burke's mishandling of the case is just one of several failings we uncovered in the documentary, "TMZ Investigates: Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Missed Warning Signs" ... streaming now on Hulu.

As we've reported, Rex Heuermann has been arrested and charged with 3 of the Gilgo murders, and he's the prime suspect in a 4th.

A total of 11 bodies have been uncovered on the Long Island beachfront.

The lawyers going after NBCUniversal and Bravo with both barrels over alleged mistreatment of their reality stars have turned up the heat even higher ... demanding the companies release these stars from what the lawyers call a draconian confidentiality agreement.

Attorney Bryan Freedman fired off another letter to the companies, claiming the NDAs violate California law, which prohibits companies from forcing employees to sign NDAs prohibiting them from disclosing unlawful conduct.

As for the unlawful conduct Freedman alleges ... racism, sexism, sexual violence, revenge porn, child labor violations, forced intoxication, and psychological, emotional and physical abuse.

Freedman wants NBCUniversal and Bravo to fully release their reality stars from their NDAs, but at a minimum acknowledge they can discuss alleged illegal conduct during production.

The attorney, along with co-counsel Mark Geragos, has been blasting NBC claiming the networks are manufacturing mental instability by plying cast members with alcohol while depriving them of food and sleep. Freedman also says they have deprived cast members of mental health treatment even when they display alarming signs of mental deterioration.

We reached out to NBCUniversal ... so far, no word back. NBC issued a statement previously, saying they're “committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows.”

Tesla is being dragged to court over a deadly car crash ... a woman is blaming Elon Musk's company for her husband's death, claiming his Model 3 burst into flames on impact with a tree.

According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Jiyoung Yoon claims her late husband, Jyung Woo Hahn, died when his 2020 Tesla Model 3 malfunctioned, crashed into a tree and burst into flames.

Jiyoung claims the incident happened in March 2022, when her husband was driving on the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Rockland County, NY.

In the docs, Jiyoung says her husband survived the initial impact but was unable to escape his Tesla and was ultimately consumed by fire.

She claims the Model 3 was defective in design, manufacture, and warning ... she says it was not crashworthy, making it "unreasonably dangerous for its designed and intended purposes."

Jiyoung is going after Tesla for damages ... and she wants the suit to go to a jury trial.

Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman says he's concerned about Britney Spears as her marriage with Sam Asghari comes to an end ... and he thinks something like a conservatorship could help.

We got Shawn at LAX, where he opened up about his concerns for a fellow artist, saying it's clear to him she's been in need of assistance for some time -- but it's more crucial now that she's going to be on her own.

He harkened back to the end of Britney's conservatorship -- which shut down in November 2021 -- with her dad, Jamie, getting bashed by the fan-fueled "Free Britney" movement ... but in Shawn's eyes, a conservatorship might be what she really needs.

Shawn acknowledges Brit's fans do love her, but adds, that's not enough to help her through mental illness -- he says that's where her family could be essential. Unfortunately, we know she currently has no relationship with her mother, father or siblings.

As we reported ... Sam beelined to court Wednesday to file for divorce ... and we learned he believes she was cheating on him with a staff member in their home. Sources told us Sam claims there's a video of Britney and the staffer in a compromising position.

Michael Jackson's two sexual molestation accusers will have their days in court after all ... a California court just cleared the way for their lawsuits to move ahead.

In a Friday ruling, the California Court of Appeal revived two lawsuits against the King of Pop's production company ... one from James Safechuck, and the other from Wade Robson, who both accuse Michael of molesting them for many years when they were kids.

Remember ... Safechuck and Robson were suing Michael's corporation, MJJ Productions, but their suits were dismissed in 2021 by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, who found the company had no legal duty to protect Safechuck, Robson or anyone else from MJ because it had no ability to control him.

Now, a higher court begs to differ ... meaning Safechuck and Robson's cases will be sent back down to the trial court.

TMZ broke the story, the same appeals court issued the tentative ruling for Robson's case back in June ... now, that ruling is final and Safechuck is in the same boat.

Robson's case alleges MJ molested him at the Neverland Ranch when Robson was between the ages of 7 and 14.

Safechuck, meanwhile, alleges he was only 10 years old when he met Michael on the set of a Pepsi commercial .... and he claims MJ eventually started bringing him to the bedroom for sexual encounters that continued for over four years.

Michael's accusers, who both appeared in the 2019 HBO film "Leaving Neverland," argued MJ’s corporations failed to protect them from MJ's alleged abuse.

A United Airlines pilot must've been feeling a whole lotta cabin pressure ... because he was caught on camera chopping down a parking gate with a freaking ax.

63-year-old Kenneth Jones went full-on lumberjack earlier this month at the exit of an employee parking lot at Denver International Airport, according to CBS News Colorado -- whacking the thing nearly 2 dozen times before it finally falls off.

Not long after, Jones was confronted by other airport employees, and he put up a bit of a struggle over the ax before eventually giving up.

The pilot's reportedly been charged with a misdemeanor for his parking lot remodel, which allegedly caused $700 in damages, and he's been removed from United's work schedule as the company continues an internal investigation.

As far as a reason for the ax outburst, Jones reportedly told cops he just hit his breaking point -- the outlet says he's due to appear in court at the end of September.

Lil Tay is in line for a comeback on the heels of her death hoax ... because there have been significant developments in her mother's custody battle with Tay's dad.

Angela Tian's attorneys Lorne MacLean, K.C., and Fraser MacLean, tell TMZ ... the viral star's father, Christopher Hope, has been ordered to cough up approximately $275,000 in back child support, dating all the way back to 2014.

We're told he'll also have to continue to pay monthly child support going forward -- Tay's only 14.

What's more, the lawyers say Angela has sole decision-making power, Tay's primary residence is now with her mother and she has court authorization to relocate with Tay outside of Vancouver, if she chooses.

Remember, it was Christopher who got a court order in 2018, requiring Tay to leave L.A., return to Vancouver and stop making online content. Now, Angela's lawyers are saying that's changed ... they say the court's orders will help Tay advance her career.

Angela tells us this is a HUGE win for Tay and her, saying the extended custody battle has put them "in a constant state of severe depression." She says Christopher's "disgusting financial motivation" has been a massive weight she's glad is finally lifted.

She continues, "I have been financially ruined fighting for my daughter’s rights and freedom which should have never been taken away to begin with. We have won our case in court and my children and I can finally move on from this nightmare. My daughter can pursue and achieve her dreams on her own terms, and we are finally a happy family again, together."

As we reported, Angela and Christopher had widely different ideas for Tay's career back when she reached the peak of her viral fame, when she was just 8.

Christopher said he wanted a more traditional career path -- stuff like singing and acting. But, with her mom at the helm, Lil Tay might be back online in no time.

TMZ broke the story, news of Tay's death -- posted on her IG last week -- wasn't true at all ... and we were told her account was taken over by someone else. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed it had indeed helped Tay regain control of her account.

We've reached out to Christopher for comment about the custody changes, but he said he had no comment.

We covered Lil Tay's custody drama on the latest episode of the TMZ Verified podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

The alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer, Rex Heuermann, could have been nabbed in 2010 -- 13 years before his arrest -- if only cops had taken a guy named Dave Schaller seriously.

Schaller, who appears in our latest documentary -- "TMZ Investigates: Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Missed Warning Signs" -- was roommates with Amber Costello, one of the "Gilgo 4."

In 2010, Amber, a sex worker, had an encounter with a man at her home ... he was paying for a lap dance. Shortly after he arrived, Amber called Dave, telling him the man was trying to rape her.

Dave quickly returned home, walked in the door, and says he saw a giant of a man -- around 6'5" -- standing ominously in the living room. Dave told him to leave, and the guy refused. Dave ended up grabbing the guy, trying to get him out, and a fight ensued.

Eventually, the guy left in what Dave says was either a green or black Chevy Avalanche.

A month later, Amber had an appointment with a man and never returned home. The second she went missing, Dave knew it was the same man who was there a month earlier. Dave says Amber needed the money so she took a fatal chance.

After Amber's body was found, Dave was interviewed by police and told them the story, describing the man in great detail, "right down to his beady-ass eyes." He followed up 2 more times with cops, but they never chased down the lead.

Had cops run registrations for anyone in Long Island who had a green or black Avalanche, they could have then looked at the driver's licenses of the registered owners and they would have found a 6'5" man who fit Dave's description to a tee. That man was Rex Heuermann, and the Avalance was routinely parked in his driveway.

Authorities and others we spoke with say ... it's likely the serial killer killed other women after his encounter with Amber Costello.

Elton John and Kevin Spacey were having a blast overseas while out to dinner ... enjoying each other's company a month after the singer's crucial testimony in Spacey's sexual assault trial.

The 2 pals dined out at La Petite Maison in France this week, along with Elton's husband, David Furnish, the couples' kids and a few other friends.

They were serenaded by a group called The Snugglers, who posted a clip of the friends' night out on the town. BTW, the group was singing Elvis' "Suspicious Minds" as the table enjoyed their grub.

Elton certainly is a true friend to Kevin, and we aren't just talking about a fun dinner together -- as we reported, he took the stand, remotely, last month during Kevin's trial in London, where he was being accused of sexually assaulting 4 men from 2001 to 2013.

The Rocket Man's testimony challenged the claim of one of Kevin's accusers ... who alleged he was groped by the actor while they were going to one of Elton's annual parties, saying it happened either in 2004 or 2005.

Elton testified, under oath, that timeline wasn't possible ... because Kevin only attended his 2001 party he hosted. David also testified, saying he found old photos to back up Elton's memory.

It was a vital one-two punch in that accuser's case.

Donald Trump is looking to kick one of his criminal cases down the road -- way down the road -- he wants his federal election interference trial to begin after he gets another shot at the White House.

In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Trump is seeking to delay his upcoming trial until April 2026 ... instead of the January 2024 trial date Special Counsel Jack Smith wants.

Trump's proposed trial start would fall about 17 months after the 2024 presidential election, in which he's the leading Republican candidate.

According to the docs, Trump says the delay is necessary because prosecutors have produced 11.5 million pages of documents -- which he says if stacked together would stretch nearly 5,000 feet into the sky -- and his attorneys need time to comb through all of it.

The former president is now facing 4 criminal cases, but this is related to his federal indictment for attempting to undermine the 2020 election with his actions on, before and after January 6, 2021.

Remember, prosecutors at the Department of Justice charged Trump on Aug. 1 with 4 counts -- conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights (to vote).

Trump's pleaded not guilty ... and Smith's team of prosecutors previously filed docs requesting jury selection begin in December, with the trial starting Jan. 2.

Of course, that would be square in the middle of Trump's campaign for the 2024 election -- keep in mind the Iowa Caucus is on Jan. 15.

So, it's not all that surprising Trump wants to hit pause, and push it until well after the 2024 election ... to a date when he could actually be POTUS, once again. That would make more history.

A California man caught on a viral TikTok sniffing women's butts at a Barnes & Noble was arrested last week ... but he's already back on the streets despite a lengthy criminal record.

The disturbing clip made the rounds online last week -- the man, who law enforcement sources believe is 36-year-old Calese Carron Crowder, is seen going up to women from behind and allegedly smelling them.

According to online records, Crowder was arrested last week for what appears to be a separate, misdemeanor incident in Glendale. He was released a few days later.

What's shocking is that records show Crowder has a very long list of arrests over the years, but was let go relatively quickly after the August arrest.

NeNe Leakes is being taken to court over her shop, Swagg Boutique ... her former landlord says she owes a bunch of dough in unpaid rent.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, NeNe's being sued by her landlord at Sugarloaf Mills -- the shopping center where her women's clothing store once stood. The landlord says Leakes first signed a lease agreement back in 2017 and then extended it for another year in 2021.

However, the landlord claims she vacated in January 2022, when the term ended, but never paid off the balance of $22,900 owed under the lease.

The landlord allegedly sent NeNe a letter last month, telling her to pay up to avoid any legal woes -- but says she never ponied up the money.

So now NeNe is being dragged to court ... and the landlord wants damages to cover the back rent plus its attorney's fees.

For those unaware, the 'RHOA' star's Swagg Boutique stores shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic ... and it reportedly wasn't long after finally reopening that she began holding "going out of business" sales at her multiple locations.

The white apartment manager in North Carolina on video hitting a Black 11-year-old and pouring soda on him is being taken to court by the kid's parents.

Robert Eury and Joella Lee-Eury filed a federal lawsuit against Kimberly Jennings, claiming she got physical with their son and 8-year-old daughter because they were using the pool at the apartment complex she manages.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the parents claim their kids were swimming in the pool at an apartment complex where their friends live when Jennings ordered them out of the water.

The parents say their kids were attempting to leave when Jennings approached their son and "poured soda over his head and struck him in the face multiple times all because him and his little sister was swimming in a pool at the property she manages."

In their suit, the parents claim Jennings also pulled their daughter's hair and hit her after ordering the kids out of the pool. The parents even claim Jennings told their son "he was acting like a real n*****."

Jennings was later arrested on an assault charge, but the parents say their kids are still reeling from the pool incident ... so now they're suing for discrimination, assault and battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Tyrese Gibson says he's all torn up inside about the $1 million lawsuit he filed against Home Depot ... because the home improvement store is his happy place.

The 'Fast & Furious' actor was at LAX when a photog asked him how he's holding up after suing Home Depot ... and Tyrese explained why it was hard for him to pull the trigger.

As crazy as it sounds, Tyrese says Home Depot was "like my Disneyland" ... estimating he's spent close to $10 million there over the last 2 decades, which made suing the corporation all the more difficult.

Remember, Tyrese is going after Home Depot in court because he believes a cashier racially profiled him and his Latino crew members because she wouldn't allow them to use his credit card to buy supplies.

Tyrese says he hasn't heard a peep from Home Depot since he posted video of the store interaction and filed the suit ... and he says it's just one of the reasons he's thinking of taking his business over to Home Depot's biggest competitor, Lowe's.

It's interesting ... during the Home Depot incident, Tyrese name-dropped the company's CEO, threatening to have him call the cashier because they're neighbors in Atlanta. But, Tyrese says the CEO has clammed up, too, despite their supposed friendship.

Tyrese says despite his reservations, he's going through with the lawsuit on behalf of all the people who claim they've been racially profiled in Home Depot stores across the country ... and he says the lawsuit is not a money grab, but a tool to make a statement.

For Tyrese, it sounds like the defining moment of the whole fiasco was when his crew member was brought to tears by the treatment in Home Depot. Tyrese says he's standing up for minorities everywhere with his suit.

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.

Check out how contentious the Kevin Costner/Christine Baumgartner divorce has gotten ... here's the first line of Kevin's latest filing ... "Christine asserts she cannot admit or deny that she understood the Premarital Agreement because she (and apparently all of her attorneys) do not understand the word "understand."

It's all over whether Christine understood the terms of the prenup when she signed it. There have been signals she is going to contest the prenup, on grounds she did not get what it meant. So Kevin's lawyers have asked her lawyers if she "understood" what she was signing.

Kevin's lawyer, Disso Queen Laura Wasser, writes in the latest filing, "Christine's counsel asked for a definition of 'understood' and Kevin's counsel provided the dictionary meaning of the word 'understood,' to wit, 'comprehended or perceive the intended meaning of words.'"

Wasser is asking the judge to make Christine's lawyers answer the question ... did she understand the prenup or not?

Here's the question that fueled the latest battle ...

Wasser: "You understood the legal effect of the premarital agreement before you signed the premarital agreement."

Christine's lawyer: "Objection. This request is vague as to the scope and meaning of the terms 'understood' ... [Christine] is unable to admit or deny the request."

A lot is on the line here ... if Christine challenges the prenup at an upcoming hearing and the judge enforces it, she'll have to return the $1.5 million Kevin fronted her, and pay his attorney's fees to boot.

The judge has indicated during several hearings he is inclined to enforce the prenup.