Rapper Chopper, who attained moderate national fame as a cast member on the popular reality TV show “Making the Band,” has been arrested in connection to alleged prostitution and sex trafficking.
Chopper, who was born Kevin Barnes in New Orleans, was busted by law enforcement officials in Annapolis, Maryland, 30 miles southeast of Baltimore.
The 35-year-old has been charged with trafficking young women, a felony. According to legal documents obtained by the New York Post’s Page Six column, an undercover detective in Las Vegas began interacting with Chopper on his Instagram account’s direct messaging after the cop discerned “evidence of a potential sex trafficking operation.”
The officer, posing as a sex worker, allegedly received an offer from Chopper after holding several discussions back and forth. During these messages, and later phone calls, Chopper allegedly bragged about his luxury cars and seven homes, including one in Vegas. However, Chopper was allegedly sour on doing business in Sin City because of law enforcement crackdowns on this illicit activity.
The case began to gain momentum when the unidentified detective stalled after Chopper allegedly ordered her to pack and take a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, to be a part of his “team” and “stable.” He is said to have also demanded a fee of $2,000, but is unclear what that money was going to go toward.
When the cop continued to stall, expressing fear of leaving home, Chopper allegedly tried to verbally force her to make the trip.
When law enforcement added up the provocative IG posts, the direct messages, the phone calls and fee demand, they believe they had enough evidence to execute an arrest warrant. The newspaper stated that Chopper is expected to be extradited to Vegas where he will face the sex trafficking charge.
