Straight Outta Compton star and former The Chi actor Jason Mitchell has been arrested by sheriff’s deputies in Gulfport, Mississippi following a traffic stop. TMZ first reported the incident on Wednesday evening after learning of several felony charges for weapons and drugs before the actor’s booking into Harrison County Jail. According to the outlet, Mitchell (best known for his breakout performance as Eazy-E in the 2015 N.W.A. biopic) landed a total of four charges, including two for the possession of a firearm (an AK-47 semi-automatic and a Glock 19 pistol) by a felon, along with two drug charges that remained unspecified at the time.
Local dual ABC/CBS-affiliated TV station WLOX followed with a confirmation on Mitchell’s arrest to detail the two drug charges that stemmed from deputies discovering ecstasy and marijuana in his vehicle. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department told WLOX that the packaging and amount of the drugs suggested “a mid-level drug operation,” and here are more details about the arrest:
Mitchell, who lives in New Orleans, was stopped at 10:30 a.m. in his GMC Yukon near the 37-mile marker on Interstate 10 in Gulfport, about a mile west of the Lorraine-Cowan Road exit.
Authorities say a search of the vehicle led to the discovery of individually wrapped packages of marijuana totaling approximately two pounds. Individual bags containing 1,300 MDMA pills, or ecstasy, were also found.
TMZ spoke with a Mitchell representative, who characterized reports of the arrest as a “misunderstanding” that may have been reported “without all of the facts.” WLOX stated that Mitchell remained in jail as of Wednesday night, although Mitchell’s rep told TMZ that the actor had returned to his home.
This isn’t Mitchell’s first brush with trouble. SuperFly actor was previously terminated from Showtime’s The Chi following allegations of misconduct, for which showrunner Ayanna Floyd told Hollywood Reporter in 2019 that “everyone was well aware.” Subsequently, Netflix removed Mitchell from Desperados prior to shooting, and his manager, agent, and attorney all cut ties with the actor, who then declared that Floyd had weaponized the #MeToo movement against him.
(Via WLOX, TMZ & Hollywood Reporter)