By Charlie Rem and Ismael AbduSalaam
DMX has been arrested and slapped with a felony charge of taking the identity of another at a Phoenix mall.
The rapper was arrested (July 19) in a Phoenix mall, due to an alleged incident at the Scottsdale Mayo clinic in April where the rapper was being treated for an illness.
While there, he allegedly used an alias, “Troy Jones,” and defaulted on a $7,500 bill.
DMX, real name Earl Simmons, was booked at the Maricopa County jail.
The arrest marks X’s fourth bust in two months, on charges that range from alleged illicit drug use to numerous motor vehicle violations.
On July 2, police arrested the rapper earlier this month at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
On June 27, he was arrested in Miami for allegedly attempting to purchase cocaine and marijuana.
And on June 23, DMX was arrested in Miami for not having a valid driver’s license.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio feels that the rapper, real name Earl Simmons, has had more than enough opportunities to reform and deserves stiffer punishment.
“He’s back in jail again,” Arpaio told the Associated Press. “I don’t know why judges keep letting this guy out. Every time he goes in there, he gets out on bond. I’m hoping this is the one time he’s going to pay the penalty for his offense.”
Because of X’s celebrity status, Arpaio confirmed that the Yonkers native would be held in protective custody.
“They [inmates] may not like his music,” he quipped. At press time, a bond has not been given in DMX’s case, and his lawyer Cameron Morgan has declined to comment.