Rick Ross arrested on domestic violence charges

Rick Ross has been arrested on domestic violence charges in Florida.

The rapper was arrested by Miami Beach police in the early hours of Thursday on domestic violence charges, including felony battery by strangulation, according to Miami-Dade jail and court records.

The 50-year-old, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts, was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6.10am.

He faces two charges listed as involving domestic violence, including one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanour count of battery.

The Grammy nominee reportedly turned himself in to police on Thursday after an ex-girlfriend alerted them on Tuesday, claiming he had been violent with her on 28 August.

The woman reportedly told police that Ross allegedly woke her up while she was sleeping and was physical with her while in a “jealous rage” over a photo she was tagged in on social media, according to TMZ.

Ross is alleged to have slapped the woman and “struck her in the chest several times, choked her to the point where she could not breathe, grabbed her by her ponytail and slammed her against a wall”.

The rapper has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His lawyers Steve Sadow and Bradley Horenstein told TMZ that Ross is being “wrongfully accused” by an ex-girlfriend.

“Mr. Roberts is innocent and has pled not guilty to the charges. He respectfully requests that his friends, fans and the general public not prejudge the situation and allow the judicial process to run its course,” they said.

The arrest comes days after Ross’s former girlfriend, Jazzma Kendrick, publicly accused him of physical abuse; however, it’s unclear if the two incidents are connected.

Ross is being held on $5,000 (£3,780) and $1,000 (£760) bonds, with his arraignment reportedly scheduled for 22 October.