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Justin Bieber Raid Ripples Three Felony Charges For Friend Lil Za

By Page Mackinley
Published on: 04:19 PST, Feb 1, 2014

Lil Za, rapper and friend of Justin Bieber, has been charged with three felony counts after a police raid at the singer’s home this month, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office announced on Friday.

Xavier “Lil Za” Smith was charged with possession of MDMA, which is a form of ecstasy and Oxycodone. The 20-year-old has also been hit with a vandalism count after damaging a wall phone in a holding cell at a Sheriff’s station.

Smith was arrested during a January 14 police raid at Bieber’s Calabasas, California house after Los Angeles detectives came across the drugs “in plain view” in a bedroom the rapper used, authorities said at the time.

Police also noted Bieber “was not connected” to the drugs find.

Reuters reports Lil Za could face a maximum penalty of four years and four months in a county jail if he is convicted of the three felony charges.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles on February 4.

The raid at Bieber’s house was executed in search of evidence that might connect the star to an egging incident at his neighbor’s home – of which he is accused – and allegedly caused $20,000 in damages.

Reportedly, no evidence linking Bieber to the egging was found on home security video and hard drives seized during the raid.

However, the felony vandalism and assault investigation continues and the 19-year-old singer remains a suspect.

On January 23, Justin was arrested and later charged in Miami Beach for driving under the influence, resisting arrest without violence, and driving with an expired license during what police described as an illegal street drag race.

A lawyer for the superstar filed a plea of not guilty on Wednesday ahead of a February 14 arraignment.

The Canadian also surrendered to Toronto police on Wednesday to be charged with assault in connection with an alleged attack on a Toronto limousine driver in December.

Howard Weitzman, one of Bieber’s lawyers, released a statement after the charging.

“We anticipate that this matter will be treated as a summary offense, the equivalent of a misdemeanor in the United States.” Weitzman said.

“Our position is Mr. Bieber is innocent.”


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In the wake of these two charges and the recent release of his DUI related toxicology report – which revealed marijuana and Xanax were present in Bieber’s system at the time of arrest – his re-entry into the US from Canada on Friday was unsurprisingly delayed.

The star’s private plane was searched by US Customs and Border Protection officials at New Jersey’s Teterboro airport over suspicions marijuana was onboard.

No drugs were detected or found by two drug-sniffing dogs and officers during a search. It’s reported Bieber and his group were kept at the airport for five hours.

Bieber was questioned for hours by investigators but was eventually allowed to enter with his crew which included his father, Jeremy.

The “Confident” singer is thought to have returned to the States to party ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl.

He was spotted at the Maxim Super Bowl Party at Espace in New York City arriving around 01:45 am Friday night and took the time to meet and greet fans in the back parking area when he left.

Lil Za is reportedly still living at Bieber’s Calabasas home and was seen there two days after his arrest.

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