Rapper Polo G, real name Taurus Bartlett, was arrested and is now charged with possession of a short-barreled rifle after police raided his Los Angeles home Wednesday morning. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department arrived at the musician’s home with an arrest warrant for Polo G’s younger brother, Taurean Bartlett, who goes by the stage name Trench Baby, and a search warrant for the residence following a robbery on Aug. 15.
The raid was in connection to a robbery that occurred in the 18500 block of Clydesdale Avenue in Granada Hills at around 5 p.m. local time on Aug. 15, according to a news release from the LAPD. According to the release, the victim arrived at the suspect’s home to film a rap video, at which time the suspect “produced a handgun with an extended magazine and demanded that the victim transfer money to an unknown account over a money transfer service. The victim was in fear and complied. The suspect also demanded the victim empty his pockets.” The suspect, who knew the victim, was identified as Polo G’s younger brother.
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After obtaining an arrest and search warrant, officers arrived at Polo G’s home Wednesday morning, ordering all those in the house to exit one by one. Photos obtained by TMZ showed Polo G with his arms raised outside his property and him being handcuffed in front of a police vehicle.
“The incident surrounded someone staying in Polo’s home and not Polo directly,” Polo G’s attorney Bradford Cohen said in a statement shared with XXL. “The officers have detained Polo to ‘verify’ that he is not a convicted felon, as they assert a firearm was found in the home. It is widely known that Polo is not a convicted felon and never was a convicted felon. I personally got all his charges in Miami dismissed when he was in our opinion wrongfully arrested and charged. They have refused to allow us access to our client which is also an illegal and unethical practice and someone will have to answer for these new wrongful actions.”
A total of four people were detained in the Wednesday raid. The LAPD said the rapper’s brother was arrested and charged with robbery. Polo G was charged with possession of a short-barreled rifle authorities recovered several firearms from both the residence and a vehicle registered to Taurus Bartlett. The release added that during a pre-booking search, a small baggy containing unknown drugs was also recovered from Taurean. According to the representative, per Pitchfork, both Polo G and his brother were released on $100,000 bail and are due in court on Thursday, Oct. 26. The charges are also pending review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.
Cohen said they “are waiting additional information,” adding, “given that, the charges against Polo are very unusual given the timing and purported knowledge of the police. The length of time between the alleged incident and the arrest is suspect. We believe once all the facts come out it will be a very different picture than how the charges look on paper. We look forward to challenging the accusations and the vindication our client.”
