Rapper Dominique Jones, known as Lil Baby, was arrested early Monday morning in Las Vegas on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. The Clark County Detention Center confirmed that Jones was booked after police responded to an incident on the 3100 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard. He posted a $5,000 bond and was released from custody, as reported by FOX5 Las Vegas.
Law enforcement officials have yet to provide further details on the arrest, however, video evidence showing the rapper being passed a weapon inside the Encore hotel surfaced online, as The Los Angeles Times reported. Despite the arrest, Jones' legal team released a statement affirming that their client holds a valid Georgia Concealed Weapon Permit, and they are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding his encounter with Las Vegas authorities.
"To be clear, Dominique Jones has a valid Georgia Carrying a Concealed Weapon (CCW) Permit. On his behalf, we are actively investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding his arrest in Las Vegas," said Chesnoff’s legal team, according to a statement obtained by FOX5 Las Vegas. Notably, Nevada does not recognize CCW permits issued in Georgia, a fact that complicates the legality of the situation given inter-state firearm regulation discrepancies.
The Grammy Award-winning artist behind hits like "The Bigger Picture", which reflects on systemic injustice, especially in relation to the killing of George Floyd has had a significant impact in the world of music, and his current legal predicament places him at the center of another significant dialogue — the intersection of gun rights and law enforcement. In Nevada, open carry is permitted, but concealed carry requires passing a county-level application process, according to FOX5 Las Vegas. He is slated to appear in court in Las Vegas on Oct. 1.
