Miami Beach police arrested rapper Rick Ross, legal name William Leonard Roberts II, early Thursday, October 1, 2026, on domestic violence charges. Roberts faces one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery. He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6:10 a.m. following a report of an incident that allegedly occurred on August 28.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer found probable cause in the case during a bond hearing conducted via Zoom. Roberts' attorneys, Bradley Horenstein and Steve Sadow, denied the allegations and stated that Roberts has pleaded not guilty. Sadow questioned the motives of the accuser, noting that a police report was not filed until approximately one month after the alleged event.
According to reports from TMZ cited by AL.com, the woman told police that Roberts woke her in a jealous rage over a social media photo and struck her multiple times while questioning her. The woman provided police with photographs of her alleged injuries. The arrest follows separate public allegations made by former girlfriend Jazzma Kendrick, who recently accused Roberts of physical abuse in a social media post; Roberts has not publicly responded to Kendrick's claims.
Judge Glazer set a total bond of $5,000, consisting of $4,000 for the felony charge and $1,000 for the misdemeanor. AL.com reported the total as $6,000, while CBS News and The Independent reported $5,000. As a condition of his release, Roberts was issued a stay-away order prohibiting direct or indirect contact with the alleged victim and was ordered to surrender all firearms and concealed weapons.
For Roberts, the immediate financial impact includes the bond required for release from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The charges of felony battery by strangulation and misdemeanor battery carry potential penalties if he is convicted. The judge noted the month-long gap between the alleged August 28 incident and the October 1 arrest.
The next steps in the legal process include Roberts' formal arraignment, which Judge Glazer scheduled for October 22, 2026. At that time, the court will formally present the charges and Roberts will have the opportunity to reaffirm his plea. The case will then move toward further hearings or a trial to determine the validity of the allegations.