# Chumlee arrested for possession of guns and meth. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2016, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501 "2016-03-10T01:56:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/1 "2016-03-10T01:56:25Z")
I guess this shouldn’t be a surprise. Instant fame and money is a bad combination. I’m curious about the weapons charge. Isn’t it legal to own a gun in Nevada? > **[Chumlee of ‘Pawn Stars’ fame arrested for drugs and weapon possession during...](https://www.nydailynews.com/2016/03/09/chumlee-of-pawn-stars-fame-arrested-for-drugs-and-weapon-possession-during-sexual-assault-raid/)** > > Chumlee, the breakout star of reality show “Pawn Stars,” is in even deeper legal trouble after a sexual assault raid by police. The reality star, whose real name is Austin Russell, was … > **[Chumlee From ‘Pawn Stars’ Arrested For Guns & Drugs After Sexual Assault...](https://hollywoodlife.com/2016/03/09/chumlee-arrested-pawn-stars-guns-drugs-sexual-assault-raid/)** > > This is BAD! Chumlee from ‘Pawn Stars’ has been arrested in Las Vegas and he’s in a whole lot of trouble. Police raided his home during a sexual assault investigation and found dr… > [@](#): > > The reality star, whose real name is Austin Russell, was arrested for drug and gun possession on Wednesday afternoon, after Las Vegas searched his home as part of a sexual assault investigation, according to jail records. > > Authorities reportedly found marijuana, methamphetamines and a weapon at the 33-year-old’s residence in Henderson, Nev., > [@](#): > > “During the course of a sexual assault investigation and search warrant search regarding Austin Lee Russell, detectives found illegal substances like methamphetamines, marijuana and several guns which he’s prohibited from owning, which resulted in his arrest.” Officer Larry Hadfield of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department tells ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/2 "2016-03-10T01:59:39Z")
☹ He’s admitted that he was addicted to meth for many years. It’s also possible, and in fact not unlikely under the circumstances, that the guns were stolen or otherwise illegally possessed. I stopped watching “Pawn Stars” a few years ago, when their onscreen behavior reached the OTT level. Rick Harrison wrote a book a few years ago, and it was actually very good. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/3 "2016-03-10T02:10:46Z")
I quit watching Pawn Stars about a year ago. It had reached a point where Chumlee was featured in everything. He was supposed to be the comic element in the show. I found it annoying and stopped watching. I recall reading an interview where both Corey and Chumlee talked about some hard years doing drugs. They both cleaned up and got straight shortly before the TV show started. Corey has lost a lot of weight in the past three years and seems to be focused on a healthy lifestyle. Don’t know what to say about Chumlee. Some of this is covered in Rick’s book. > [@](#): > > Unfortunately, as young adults, Corey and Chumlee followed a similar drug-afflicted path; they each share stories in “License to Pawn.” I’m grateful they both not only survived and recovered from their addictions, but are able to thrive in the pawn (and entertainment) industries. - See more at: [http://www.antiquetrader.com/antiques-news/review-‘license-to-pawn’-chronicles-rick-harrisons-gritty-path-to-‘pawn-stars’#sthash.v73YjQKd.dpuf](http://www.antiquetrader.com/antiques-news/review-%E2%80%98license-to-pawn%E2%80%99-chronicles-rick-harrisons-gritty-path-to-%E2%80%98pawn-stars%E2%80%99#sthash.v73YjQKd.dpuf) ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/4 "2016-03-10T02:31:02Z")
If he did have drug problems in the past, that could explain it. If you have a conviction punishable by imprisonment for a year or more, you’re permanently barred from owning any firearm. Note that’s a possible sentence - even if you had a plea bargain that got it down to just probation, if the crime could have been punishable by a year in prison, you’re done. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/5 "2016-03-10T02:52:55Z")
The charge seems pretty clear. You’re probably right that its from an old drug case. > **[‘Pawn Stars’ celeb Chumlee arrested during raid, faces drug charges](https://lasvegassun.com/news/2016/mar/09/pawn-stars-celeb-chumlee-arrested-on-drug-charges/)** > > The man known to millions of cable TV viewers as Chumlee on the reality show > [@](#): > > Russell, 33, was booked into the Clark County Detention Center today. His bail was set at $62,000. > > He is facing 19 drug possession charges and one count of possession of a gun by a prohibited person, jail logs show. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/6 "2016-03-10T03:42:46Z")
I asked the mod to fix the thread title. I grabbed the first word that spell check offered and got burned. I should have just copy/pasted the word from the news article. possession is the word I needed. A crap load of “s” in that one word. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/7 "2016-03-10T04:27:44Z")
I guess Tennessee is going on his adventures without the walrus. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/8 "2016-03-10T04:32:09Z")
Corey has undergone bariatric surgery. I heard that Chumlee did too; is that true? I also heard that The Old Man isn’t on the show any more. ---
**Author:** ![Waltzes\_with\_Cacti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90ced4/32.png) [@Waltzes\_with\_Cacti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waltzes_with_Cacti)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/9 "2016-03-10T12:23:43Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I also heard that The Old Man isn’t on the show any more. Oh dear, I hope that’s not true. The Old Man is my favorite person from the show. He has a wonderful face, so weatherbeaten and full of character. Does anybody know his ethnicity? He looks like he might be of Aleut or Inuit descent. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/10 "2016-03-10T13:57:54Z")
> [@Waltzes\_with\_Cacti](#): > > Oh dear, I hope that’s not true. The Old Man is my favorite person from the show. He has a wonderful face, so weatherbeaten and full of character. Does anybody know his ethnicity? He looks like he might be of Aleut or Inuit descent. The family is supposedly that of the Harrison presidents, so if there’s any exotic blood in the line I’d assume it’s Amerindian (maybe Cherokee?). Has Rick ever mentioned or written about this? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/11 "2016-03-10T14:05:14Z")
Well I guess that shatters the stereotype of pawn shops and their employees being paragons of honesty, goodness, and virtue. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/12 "2016-03-10T14:30:38Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Well I guess that shatters the stereotype of pawn shops and their employees being paragons of honesty, goodness, and virtue. This clip from [Insomniac with Dave Attell](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvu6APT3JLY) in 2003 featuring Rick & the pawn shop is probably far more accurate. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/13 "2016-03-10T14:46:49Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > If he did have drug problems in the past, that could explain it. If you have a conviction punishable by imprisonment for a year or more, you’re permanently barred from owning any firearm. Note that’s a possible sentence - even if you had a plea bargain that got it down to just probation, if the crime could have been punishable by a year in prison, you’re done. The cast, including Chumlee, have been shown firing guns that were supposedly their own on the show. Of course we have no way of really knowing how true this is. Such a criminal record would obviously not prohibit an actor from being cast as a gun toting character in a work of fiction, and for all we know that is what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/14 "2016-03-10T15:25:06Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I guess Tennessee is going on his adventures without the walrus. Exactly my thought on seeing the thread title. Only Chumlee I know! ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/15 "2016-03-10T15:27:13Z")
Fixed typo in title (procession --\> possession) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/16 "2016-03-10T15:33:10Z")
Chumlee ceased being funny about Season 2. Sorry to see him in jail and associated with meth, but maybe this will clean him up for good. It is going to put a crimp in the next season of _Pawnography_, however. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/17 "2016-03-10T15:39:40Z")
I bought Rick’s book _License to Pawn_ last night and started reading it on my Kindle. Skipped ahead to the Corey and Chumlee chapters. Corey went into a lot of detail about his drug use. It lasted several years. Chumlee downplayed his use but admitted using meth several months. They got clean separately. Corey moved to California for a year and lived with his biological mother. Got off drugs and returned to Vegas. Chum had also stopped during that year and was an Assistant Manager at a McDonald’s. Then Rick bought a Quiznos store that had recently closed. He hired Corey and Chum to run it. That lasted a couple years until the place closed. Then they got jobs on the night shift at the Pawn shop. It doesn’t sound good for Chum. 19 drug charges. Sounds like a lot was found in his house. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/18 "2016-03-10T15:41:12Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > The cast, including Chumlee, have been shown firing guns that were supposedly their own on the show. Of course we have no way of really knowing how true this is. Such a criminal record would obviously not prohibit an actor from being cast as a gun toting character in a work of fiction, and for all we know that is what happened. True. In terms of him holding and firing a real gun on camera, I assume it gets down to the definition of “possess” and “transfer” under the GCA of 1968. If the legal owner of a gun temporarily hands it to a prohibited person, to use while under the owner’s observation, after which it is immediately given back to the lawful owner, is that a violation? I suspect not, but don’t know if there’s a firm ATF ruling on that. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/19 "2016-03-10T15:44:20Z")
The show seems kind of played out, at least in it’s original format. Maybe this will put it to bed. They can’t keep Chum on after this since they fired the naked girl he was hot for. The big items they call the experts in for seem to be all pre-arranged situations now, not ordinary people walking in with something they found in the attic. It’s still interesting, but they can just drop the pretense of A Day at the Hock Shop and just do a show on that basis, and end the rarely witty repartee between the personnel. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501/20 "2016-03-10T16:26:19Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > This clip from [Insomniac with Dave Attell](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvu6APT3JLY) in 2003 featuring Rick & the pawn shop is probably far more accurate. Rick originally shopped the idea as a more gritty real life version of the pawn shop as shown on Insomniac. The network liked the setting but wanted a more friendly show. So they moved it to the day shift and took the emphasis away from the type of characters who need to sell a watch at 3am in Vegas. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chumlee-arrested-for-possession-of-guns-and-meth/748501.md?page=2)