Lil Wayne Wanted in Arizona (Psst, He's in Jail in NYC)

Bench warrant issued for the currently incarcerated hip-hopster after he fails to show for a hearing in Arizona

By Josh Grossberg Mar 17, 2010 5:02 PMTags
Lil WayneRay Tamarra/Getty Images

Even behind bars, Weezy just can't seem to stay out of trouble.

An Arizona judge issued a warrant this morning for Lil Wayne's arrest after he failed to turn up for a court date in his drug and weapons case.

Yuma County Superior Court Judge Mark Wayne Reeves ordered the "Cash Money" rapper be taken into custody after missing out on a final pretrial management conference stemming for a 2008 arrest in which border patrol officers allegedly found marijuana, Ecstasy and several handguns on Wayne's tour bus.

Of course, Lil Wayne has a pretty good excuse of course for why he didn't show.

The artist, whose real name is Dwayne Carter III, is currently locked up for the next year in New York City's Rikers Island for a separate illegal weapons rap. (In 2007, he was arrested after New York's Finest searched his tour bus following a concert and found—surprise!—a loaded weapon).

Wayne's Arizona-based attorney, James Tilson, said he intended to file a petition to postpone his March 30 trial in the former case since the MC has no way of making it to the Southwest anytime soon.

"It does not appear that a trial will be occurring anytime within the next 8 to 12 months," the Yuma Sun quoted Tilson as telling the judge.

The legal eagle filed additional motions seeking to keep the bond amount the same, but prosecutors objected, arguing that bail be upped to $150,000 and the bench warrant issued because Carter is now a convicted felon.

In the Arizona case, the 27-year-old entertainer has pleaded not guilty to one count each of possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Lil Wayne could get out of Rikers in as little as eight months on good behavior. At which point, he'll still have to deal with the Arizona situation.

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Read all about the Five Things Lil Wayne Will Be Doing in the Big House here.