(AllHipHop News) Rap legend Eric B. spent his birthday sitting in a New Jersey jail, over a warrant from almost 20 years ago.
The DJ, born Eric Barrier, turned 56 on November 8th, as he sat behind bars over an assault case from 2002.
The issues for Eric started last month when he was questioned by police in Vermont.
According to NJ.com, Eric B. pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest/eluding on Jan. 28, 2002.
In March of 2002, the cops issued a warrant for his arrest when he failed to turn up for his sentencing.
Once he learned of his legal problems 17 years later, Eric headed to New Jersey to address the warrant.
On October 28th, he was promptly arrested by local cops and he has been incarcerated ever since.
Eric blamed his legal misfortune on bad advice he received from his old lawyer, Paul Bergrin.
Eric claims he is the victim of the crooked lawyer too.
“Mr. Bergrin told Mr. Barrier that his case was ‘dismissed’ because he was accepted into PTI (pre-trial intervention),” Eric B.’s lawyer Patrick Toscano wrote to the judge overseeing the case.
The detention is threatening to ruin Eric B.’s tour with his partner Rakim, as well as his new role as “Detective Mike Gee” on the show “Blue Bloods,’ where he portrays a cop.
Eric was released after paying a fine of $5,000 and ordered to return to court on November 22nd to resolve his old case.