Rick Ross turned himself in to Miami Beach police early Thursday morning on domestic violence charges, including felony battery by strangulation and misdemeanor battery.
The 50-year-old rapper, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II, was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center around 6:10 a.m. He pleaded not guilty and was later released on $5,000 bond.
According to the arrest report, the charges stem from an alleged incident on August 28 at Ross’s Star Island home. His then-girlfriend told police that Ross woke her up angry over an Instagram photo, slapped her, struck her multiple times, restricted her breathing by twisting the collar of her hoodie, and slammed her into a wall, causing a busted lip. She reported the incident nearly a month later and provided photos of her injuries.
Ross has strongly denied the accusations. Outside the jail, he told reporters he is “totally innocent” of what he called “fabricated allegations.” His attorneys echoed that stance, saying the claims are false and urging the public not to rush to judgment while the case moves through the courts.
The arrest comes just days after the woman, identified in some reports as model and content creator Jazzma Kendrick, shared photos and statements on social media accusing Ross of physical abuse.
An arraignment is set for October 22. As with any ongoing legal matter, the allegations remain unproven in court.
