Nelly was taken into custody early Wednesday morning by the Missouri State Highway Patrol in St. Louis, Missouri.
Nelly has been arrested, ET has confirmed.
The rapper, whose real name is Cornell Haynes II, was arrested Wednesday at 4:45 a.m. by the Missouri Highway Patrol in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, online records show. The 49-year-old "Air Force Ones" rapper was arrested on a failure to appear on a warrant and was alleged to have been found in possession of a controlled substance (ecstasy -- 4 pills) and for not having insurance.
Nelly, who donned a black hoodie over a white shirt in his mugshot, was taken into custody and booked at the Maryland Heights Police Department and subsequently released. ET has learned Nelly was at Hollywood Casino and won a jackpot. An officer later did a search on him and found a warrant from 2018 for a failure to appear in court for not having insurance. He was handcuffed and later released.
In a statement to ET, Nelly's lawyer, Scott Rosenblum, addressed his client's arrest.
"Mr. Haynes was not charged with drug possession. He was arrested for 'No Proof of Insurance' from 2018 on a warrant issued December 2023 that he received no notice," the statement read. "Mr. Haynes was targeted by an overzealous, out of line officer."
As for the events leading up to the arrest, Rosenblum said, "After winning several jackpots, at a venue where Mr. Haynes frequently visits and entertains at its amphitheater; instead of just supervising the transfer of Mr. Haynes' winnings, this officer felt compelled to needlessly run a check for warrants."
"The officer informed Mr. Haynes a background check was mandated when a player won over a certain amount; Mr. Haynes knew this to be untrue as he had won several jackpots for similar or greater amounts including one just a week prior without incident or a background check," the statement continued. "Once Mr. Haynes was informed of the warrant for a No Proof of Insurance infraction, this officer felt compelled to handcuff Mr. Haynes behind his back and parade him through the casino in front of other patrons."
"This officer then conducted a search without probable cause where he claimed to have found alleged 'ecstasy' in Mr. Haynes' personal property," the statement read. "Under similar circumstances, assuming there was an old warrant without any notice to the individual for no proof of insurance, any other citizen would have been told to address it and allowed to go on their way."
The statement concluded, "It is also important to note, that Mr. Haynes, as part of the requirements to travel internationally, is regularly asked to supply proof of no warrants. Including FBI checks. There were none. I am 100% confident this case will go nowhere. And we will be asking for an inquiry into this officer's conduct."
The arrest comes nearly two months after news surfaced that he and Ashanti secretly tied the knot back in December 2023. The couple is expecting their first child together. Nelly and Ashanti got back together after crossing paths in 2021, nearly a decade after their split.
"Never in a million years did I think we would be here," she told ET's Deidre Behar in an exclusive interview. "Ten years ago -- maybe yes -- but after our breakup, you know, I didn't even think we'd ever have a conversation again."
Nelly popped the question when the couple was watching TV in bed one day. They were "not dressy," she said, but she was "completely shocked."
"I cried. I gave him the biggest hug and kiss ever," she shared. "I FaceTimed everyone I know... I was overjoyed and shocked and surprised and happy kind of like all in one."
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