Heidi Fleiss was arrested for driving under the influence of marijuana Tuesday.
Fleiss was picked up by police in Pahrump, Nevada , around 3:30 am, according to TMZ . Police said they found four ounces of marijuana and $10,000 in cash in the 47-year-old’s 2010 Toyota Cruiser. The former “Hollywood Madam” was booked at a nearby police station for DUI (marijuana), possession of marijuana with intent to sell, and driving without a license and insurance.
This isn’t the first time Heidi Fleiss has been busted for marijuana. In August, deputies found 392 marijuana plants in Fleiss’ Pahrump home . They were searching the residence for a wanted woman when they happened upon the pot plants, Nye County Sheriff Tony De Meo said. Fleiss said she was growing the plants to sell to a Las Vegas cooperative, but admitted that she did not have a license to do so. Police collected the plants and destroyed the grow equipment, including grow lights and chemicals.
Fleiss wasn’t arrested because she was taking care of exotic birds worth $200,000 . She also cooperated during the investigation. However, the Nye County District Attorney planned to file charges Fleiss with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana over one ounce, possession of drug paraphernalia, and more. Fleiss said the birds protected her from being arrested.
“We don’t have facilities for exotic birds, and they are pretty rare and very expensive,” De Meo said.
Heidi Fleiss was given the nickname “Hollywood Madam” in the 1990s, when she ran a high-priced prostitution ring. She was arrested on multiple charges in June 1993, and federal charges were filed against her in 1994. Fleiss was convicted on federal charges of tax evasion in September 1996 and sentenced to seven years in prison. She served 20 months and was released to a halfway house on November 19, 1998. She was released in September 1999.