Austin Russell – the reality star better known to fans of TV’s Pawn Stars fans as Chumlee – has been arrested on drug and gun possession charges.
Russell was taken into custody last night after police raided his home in connection with an unrelated sexual assault investigation.
By all accounts, Russell has not been charged in the original sexual assault investigation that led to the raid, it’s worth noting.
The details of that investigation are not clear, but officials discovered the illegal weapons and substances during the raid at Chumlee’s.
Police reportedly found large amounts of meth and marijuana, along with an unspecified number of firearms, media reports confirm.
In total, Russell is facing 19 charges.
An employee of the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas, Russell is a fan favorite on the long-running History Channel series.
Since filming began in 2009, Russell, a lifelong friend of shop co-owner Corey Harrison, has been a major draw for the series’ ratings.
Russell has often been described as the show’s breakout star due to his comedic antics and entertaining interactions with customers.
The 33-year-old is also a popular figure on the Internet, as evidenced by the fact that he’s become the subject of frequent death hoaxes.
In any case, this is not the first time that one of the younger members of the show’s cast has had an ugly brush with the law.
In 2014, Chumlee’s co-star Corey Harrison was arrested for inciting a brawl and drunkenly urinating on a barstool. Yikes.
The show was also sued for millions.