Fame does not spare actors, actresses, athletes, and business people from making mistakes. But unlike regular citizens, celebrities have to deal with much flak when they brush with the law.
More often than not, their convictions outshine all their past success, and the crime they committed takes over their identity.
The most common violations among showbiz personalities are driving under the influence of alcohol, drug possession, protest participation that may have incited a riot, tax evasion, and unlawful firearm possession.
However, some celebrities also became involved in more serious crimes such as assault, domestic violence, and murder.
Domestic violence and assault can start as misdemeanors, which are punishable by incarceration for a year or less.
The two types of crimes can become felonies when there is severe physical injury, using a weapon, and involving a child or senior citizen.
Who are the U.S.-based celebrities who were arrested and convicted in 2022? Read on to find out.
Table of Contents
U.S. Showbiz and Sports Personalities Arrested in 2022
Here are some celebrities who were arrested this year and charged or convicted of a felony:
ASAP Rocky
In August 2022, the Los Angeles County District charged rapper Rakim Mayers, who goes by the name A$AP Rocky, with two counts of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
The recording artist had a son with pop star Rihanna in May 2022. Mayers has pleaded not guilty concerning a November 2021 shooting. The incident involved former A$AP Mob member Terell Ephron a.k.a. A$AP Relli, who suffered minor injuries.
Ezra Miller
The Vermont State Police has charged felony burglary charges against Ezra Miller. The actor will be the main star in Warner Brothers’ The Flash.
Miller stole bottles of alcohol from a house while the owners were away, according to a police news release.
Earlier this year, Miller was arrested twice in Hawaii for two separate cases. The April arrest was in response to an assault report during a get-together. Meanwhile, the second was due to disorderly conduct at a bar.
Joseph Gatt
In April 2022, the Los Angeles Police District (LAPD) arrested Game of Thrones cast member Joseph Gatt on an outstanding felony warrant.
LAPD detectives said they acted on information that the English actor was having sexually explicit online communication with a minor in another state. Gatt was released hours later on a $5,000 bail.
NBA Player Miles Bridges
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office charged Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges with three felony counts due to domestic violence and child abuse. Bridges pleaded not guilty during his July 2022 court hearing.
Officials arrested the basketball star in June after reportedly assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children. Bridges posted a $130,000 bail to secure his release.
Q’Orianka Kilcher
The California insurance department charged Q’Orianka Kilcher with two felony counts of workers’ compensation fraud.
Authorities said the Yellowstone actress collected $96,838 in disability benefits for two years until 2021. Kilcher claims to have injured her neck and right shoulder while working on Dora and the Lost City of Gold in 2018.
However, a department investigation showed that the Pocahontas star was able to work during her supposed disability period.
Other Celebrities in Prison
The following actors are still serving their prison sentences:
Michael Jace
Michael Jace, who played a kind-hearted police officer in the crime TV drama series “The Shield,” is serving a 40-year prison term for shooting his wife in 2016.
The Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Tannaz Mokayef told jurors that Jace’s wife wanted to divorce him. The decision upset the actor, who believed she was seeing another man.
Shannon Guess Richardson
TV actress Shannon Richardson received an 18-year sentence in 2014 after pleading guilty to sending letters with ricin to the office of former U.S. President Barack Obama.
The actress—who played minor roles in Walking Dead and Vampire Diaries—also sent letters with this toxic substance to then-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the head of a gun-control organization launched by the mayor.
Richardson initially told investigators in Texas that her husband was behind the letters. The spouse denied the claim, saying she was setting him up in light of his decision to divorce her.
Authorities found records of her online purchases for castor beans and lye, both used for making ricin.
NFL Player Darren Sharper
Former NFL (National Football League) player Darren Sharper is serving an 18-year sentence for the sexual assault and drugging of up to 16 women in Arizona, California, Louisiana, and Nevada.
The former New Orleans Saints player pleaded no contest when the court issued the sentence in 2016. In June 2022, reports said that Sharper settled lawsuits with three of his female accusers.
References
1. Is Domestic Violence a Felony? | LegalMatch
2. Classification of Criminal Offenses | Justia
