Nelly will not face any charges after he was arrested for allege drug possession at a casino in the St. Louis area.
According to a report the Associated Press published on Wednesday, November 13, Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell of St. Louis County said the facts in the case weren't enough to move forward with formal charges. Bell didn't provide a thorough explanation why his office won't pursue any further legal action. However, he said the decision came down after “a fair and impartial review of the evidence.”
“We don’t believe the facts in this case warrant the issuing of charges,” Bell said.
Nelly was apprehended by police on August 7 at 4:45 a.m. while he was at Hollywood Casino & Hotel in Maryland Heights, MO. He had just won several jackpots and went to go collect his earnings. A trooper at the casino reportedly told the rapper that winners who earn a certain amount are subject to a warrant search. After they discovered a 2018 warrant due to a citation for no proof of insurance, Nelly was searched and arrested. During the search, police reportedly found four ecstasy pills.
The 50-year-old artist was released shortly after he was brought to the Maryland Heights Police Department. Nelly's attorney Scott Rosenblum said the background check that led to his client's arrest was not justified because no such search was required. The proof of insurance issue was previously resolved and the case was dismissed.
The positive update in Nelly's case came down a few months after he and his wife Ashanti welcomed their newborn son, Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, into the world. Both artists got hitched last December, but kept their nuptials and incoming child on the low until Ashanti announced the news earlier this year.