'Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta' Star Arrested, Accused of Cocaine Possession
The 'Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta' star's representatives said there was no 'valid reason' for her arrest.
Former Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star Tommie Lee was reportedly arrested in Miami earlier this month. Lee, real name Atasha Jefferson, was taken into police custody following an alleged verbal altercation with a restaurant employee while she was out to eat. She is reportedly facing charges of cocaine possession with the intent to sell and disorderly conduct/ breach of peace, according to photos shared online on Aug. 20 alleging to show arrest details.
Although Lee has not publicly addressed the reported incident, The Neighborhood Talk reported that Lee's team explained the arrest occurred as the reality TV star "was leaving a restaurant after having a dispute with a disrespectful employee." Lee was approached by police because they were familiar with her, her representatives claimed, adding that while officers "chose to handcuff and arrest her on grounds of drug possession," Lee was not carrying any illegal substances. Lee's reps instead claimed "the 'drugs' were, in fact, her friend's epilepsy medication."
"They seized upon this as an excuse for her arrest when no other valid reason was evident," the statement continued. "It's completely understandable that she felt infuriated by this unjust treatment, especially when she was spending her own hard-earned money."
Lee's team added that Lee was arrested despite more severe things that were occurring at the restaurant at the time, including an alleged intoxicated individual who was making threats. Lee's team said police should have been investigating that rather than arresting Lee.
The reported incident is not Lee's first run-in with the law. Back in 2018, the Love & Hip Hop alum was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault, battery and child cruelty after she was accused of physically attacking her middle school-aged daughter. After bonding out of jail and receiving a court order to stay away from her daughter, she was arrested again just hours later after she allegedly made contact with her daughter, leading to her being charged with aggravated stalking and obstruction of an officer. Lee, who said on the hit VH1 show that she'd been arrested nearly 30 times, later promised to enroll in a mental health program, according to The Jasmine Brand.