Nelly rape shock
Rapper booked in sex attack
RAPPER NELLY was arrested in Washington state Saturday morning after a woman accused him of raping her on his tour bus, authorities said.
The hip-hop star, 42, was on the bus while it was parked in a Walmart lot in Auburn when he was taken into custody at 4:37 a.m., police spokesman Steve Stocker told the Daily News.
The unidentified victim called 911 at 3:48 a.m. and reported the sexual assault at that location, authorities said.
Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., was booked for “investigation of rape” in the second degree and released from custody, authorities said.
Stocker said he had “no idea” when the rapper would appear before a judge.
In a series of tweets, Nelly declared his innocence and said he was being “targeted.”
“I am confident that once the facts are looked at, it will be very clear that I am the victim of a false allegation,” he wrote. “I do want to apologize to my loved ones for the embarrassment and for putting myself in a situation where I could be victimized by this false and defaming allegation.”
Nelly’s lawyer Scott Rosenblum told The News that “our initial investigation clearly establishes this allegation is devoid of credibility and is motivated by greed and vindictiveness.
“I am confident, once this scurrilous accusation is thoroughly investigated, there will be no charges. Nelly is prepared to address and pursue all legal avenues to redress any damage caused by this clearly false allegation,” he added.
The St. Louis rapper has been touring with country artists Florida Georgia Line. They performed at the White River Amphitheatre on Friday.
Nelly went to Seattle after the show and reportedly brought the woman back to the town of Auburn, about 26 miles south of the Emerald City.
The “Hot in Herre” rapper was scheduled to attend a party at the Aston Manor nightclub in Seattle Friday night, according to a promotional flyer. It was not clear if he made an appearance.
Nelly and Florida Georgia Line were scheduled to perform Saturday night at the Sunlight Supply Amphitheater in Ridgefield, Wash.
The Saturday morning incident wasn’t Nelly’s first brush with the law.
The “Ride Wit Me” singer was charged with felony possession of drugs in 2015 after troopers discovered methamphetamines and marijuana on his tour bus in Tennessee.
The officers also found numerous handguns, including a goldplated .50-caliber Desert Eagle pistol on the bus, authorities said.
Nelly was taken to the Putnam County Jail and posted bond.
His attorney said at the time that the drugs didn’t belong to his client.
The rapper was also arrested in Texas in 2012 after officers found 36 baggies of heroin, more than 10 pounds of weed, and a loaded .45-caliber pistol on his tour bus. Nelly blamed a staff member. “Neither I nor anyone else on the tour bus was aware of his decision to bring these,” he said at the time.