Reuters Posted online: Saturday, June 26, 2004 at 1205 hours IST
New York, June 26: Rapper DMX was charged on Friday with cocaine possession and criminal impersonation after trying to steal a car then crashing another vehicle through an airport parking lot gate, claiming he was a federal agent, prosecutors said.
DMX, 33, whose real name is Earl Simmons, and a man police identified as Jackie Hudgins, 41, were arrested on Thursday night at New York's Kennedy Airport by police officers who found a billy club and a bag of crack cocaine in their sport utility vehicle, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
The two were jailed without bond on charges of criminal possession of a weapon and drug possession. In addition, DMX was charged with criminal impersonation, criminal mischief, menacing and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Both face up to seven years in prison if convicted.
At a court appearance late on Friday, Judge Stephen Knopf set their bail at $15,000 each. They were due back at the Queens Criminal Court on July 23.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, Simmons tried unsuccessfully to force another motorist from his car in an airport parking lot, claiming he was an FBI agent.
Simmons and Hudgins are accused of subsequently crashing their SUV through the lot's exit gate, as Simmons yelled at the parking attendant: "Let us out. We're federal agents."
They were stopped by Port Authority police a short time later.
Simmons hit rapper stardom in 1998 on the Def Jam Records label with "It's Dark and Hell is Hot" album, which reached No. 1. Two other albums also became chart-topping hits.
