Rapper Arrested by US Marshals in Texas for the Second Time This Year

Up-and-coming rapper Hotboy Wes was arrested last Saturday night for the second time in 2022 according to KWTX. The artist was charged with possession of marijuana on the night of Saturday, July 23, and paid $3,000 in bond to be released the following day. This came after a much more serious arrest back in January, when Hotboy Wes was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Hotboy Wes is the stage name of Wesley Lewis, who is a rising star in rap music. he was signed by Gucci Mane’s 1017 record label in the summer of 2021, and he appeared on the label’s compilation tape So Icy Boyz that fall. So far, his work in 2022 has been interrupted by a couple of high-profile cases. It started in January when the Marshals Service’s Lone Star Fugitive Task Force arrested Lewis in Waco, Texas.

According to a report by local news state KWTX, the Marshals arrested Lewis based on an outstanding warrant from the Hewitt Police Department for an alleged robbery. They claim they found unlawful firearms in his possession, leading to two more charges at the time. He was booked into McLennan County Jail and given a court date, then paid a $30,000 bond to walk free in the meantime.

Lewis claimed that he was “innocent on social media at the time. Neither Gucci Mane nor 1017 Records commented publicly on the arrest. Last weekend, Lewis was pulled over by the Bryan Police Department when he was allegedly seen speeding through Brazos County. The officer conducting the traffic stop said that he smelled marijuana coming from the car and decided to arrest Lewis.

Lewis was driving a black 2018 Dodge Charger when he was pulled over last weekend. The arresting officers found no marijuana in the rapper’s possession, but they found a tray which they claim Lewis confessed to using to roll joints on. They also found about $9,000 in cash in the center console, which Lewis said was a payment from recent performances and props for recent music videos.

Lewis also had a passenger in the car with him who had two 9-millimeter pistols in her purse. However, she was able to confirm where she had bought the firearms so these were not grounds for arrest. Ironically, the charge for marijuana possession came later when staff at the Brazos County Detention Center found a bag of marijuana in Lewis’ pocket. The rapper was released on bond, but it is not clear what comes next in his complex legal proceedings – or in his music career.