El DeBarge, the five-time Grammy-nominated singer known for hits like “Rhythm of the Night,” has been arrested on drugs and weapons charges in Burbank, California, TMZ reports.
Burbank police detained DeBarge at a local gas station on Sunday at 3:40 AM. Authorities initially had noticed DeBarge’s vehicle had expired tags, but when they approached the it, they spotted an expandable metal baton in the car, which is an illegal weapon.
Police then began to search the vehicle, which is when they found pepper spray and narcotics they suspected to possibly be heroin. They also noticed DeBarge was driving with an expired license. He was charged with possession of a leaded cane or baton, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia, among other charges. He posted $25,000 bond and is due back in court in March.
El DeBarge, best known as the lead singer of the troubled 1970s and 80s family group DeBarge, has a long history of addiction and legal struggles. In 2018, he was charged with felony vandalism after allegedly destroying a man’s windshield with a wrench following an argument. Prior to that, he had been arrested in 2006 and 2012 in instances related to drug possession.
Other DeBarge family members have had trouble with the law too. In 2014, it was reported that Chris Brown had been collaborating with James DeBarge while the two were locked up in the L.A. County Jail. The latter had been convicted on drug charges, while Brown was locked up for violating his probation.
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