By Gil Kaufman
DMX (file)
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage
Troubled rapper DMX was arrested on Tuesday in Arizona for five counts of violating his probation on drug charges. According to Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV, X (born Earl Simmons), was picked up by the Adult Probation Office after admitting to using illegal drugs over the past nine months.
"He admitted to using cocaine, so he's back in our jail," said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "I think it's about time to give him hard time." The get-tough sheriff said if the rapper is serious about kicking his drug habit, the Arizona jail system — where X has already logged time on animal cruelty and drug possession charges — could help him get clean.
"We do have a great drug prevention program in the jail, so if he stays in our jail system I will consider (letting) him go through our program," Arpaio said. In June, DMX, 39, was sentenced to more than a year of probation after pleading guilty in May to attempted aggravated assault for throwing a food tray at a jail officer, an incident that occurred while X was in jail serving a 90-day sentence for felony theft, drug possession and animal cruelty.
According to a Reuters report, the rapper told his probation officer that he'd been regularly using illegal drugs over the past nine months and had not complied with the terms of his treatment plan.
X was given 18 months of supervised probation and ordered to pay fines upon his release in May. Arpaio said after arresting DMX five times, he's eager to see the rapper do some serious time in an Arizona jail.
A spokesperson for DMX could not be reached for comment at press time.
While on probation, X played one chaotic live show in Colorado that ended in a reported near riot, booked and then backed out of an MMA fight in December and was reported to be working on new music that Swizz Beatz said could fuel his long-rumored comeback.
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