September 15, 2008

DMX Extradited From Florida To Face Multiple Charges In Arizona

By Jocelyn Vena (MTV.com)

On Thursday, DMX was extradited from Florida, where he pleaded guilty to drug charges on August 27, and was sent to the Maricopa County Jail in Arizona on an outstanding warrant for missing a court date, according to E! Online.

He now faces four felony drug charges and seven misdemeanor animal-cruelty charges, in connection with a raid on his Arizona home in May. He has also been charged with theft of services and identity theft for allegedly using a fake ID at a health clinic. The rapper was in the process of paying his $25,000 cash bond Thursday evening.

DMX had been arrested in Miami on August 14 on a felony-fugitive warrant for missing the Arizona court date, causing some confusion over whether he should face his Florida drug charges (stemming from his June arrest for attempted purchase of cocaine and marijuana) before going back to Arizona. In the end, despite the F-bomb he dropped in court, he reached a deal for time served and a $483 fine in Florida, and Arizona officials were given 15 days to extradite the rapper.

This year has been quite interesting in terms of court appearances for the rapper. Now X is being represented by public defender Charles Kozelka in Arizona, because he had "some problems" with his private attorney, Kozelka told MTV News in August. The lawyer said he hopes to work out a solution with the courts that will allow his client to enter a rehab program.