These kids may have famous parents but they still ended up in jail. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most infamous moments when the offspring of famous faces had run-ins with the law.
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00:00 Charlie Sheen, the actor and bad boy for many years, was arrested.
00:05 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most infamous moments
00:09 when the offspring of famous faces had run-ins with the law.
00:13 "20-year-old Indio Downey, released on bail after being arrested in Hollywood Sunday afternoon."
00:18 Number 20. Keith Richards
00:22 As for creating epic pieces of graffiti that capture the public mood,
00:26 Theodora Richards is definitely no Banksy.
00:29 The fashion model and daughter of The Rolling Stones co-founder Keith Richards had the cuff
00:32 slapped on her in 2011 for vandalizing a property in New York City.
00:36 "That rock and roll circus was not just any regular circus."
00:40 On the exterior of a building that housed a convent, Richards had written, quote,
00:44 "T. Hart A." referring to herself and her sister Alexandra.
00:48 Richards was taken in for illegal artwork and for possessing controlled substances.
00:52 Thanks to a plea deal, the charges against her were dropped.
00:55 As part of the agreement, Richards had to spend one day in a drug treatment program
01:00 and complete two days of community service.
01:02 "I have a fear of clowns, they're terrible."
01:05 Number 19. Ice-T
01:07 While his father Ice-T has been playing a cop on Law & Order Special Victims Unit since 2000,
01:12 Tracy "Little Ice" Merrow Jr. has encountered legal issues over the years.
01:16 "He made it."
01:17 In 2011, he visited a strip club in Los Angeles, California.
01:24 For whatever reason, instead of using the bathroom,
01:26 Merrow went outside the property to urinate and was arrested for public indecency.
01:31 Then in 2011, Merrow launched into a furious Twitter rant
01:35 after he was pulled over by the cops for playing loud music.
01:38 During his interaction with the officers,
01:40 they realized there was a $10,000 warrant out for him due to a prior speeding incident.
01:45 As such, he was arrested once more.
01:47 "John Munch. Ross Campo. What brings you guys to this dump?"
01:52 "This."
01:52 Number 18. John Bon Jovi
01:55 In 2012, emergency services responded to a distress call at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.
02:01 The report was about an unresponsive woman in a dormitory.
02:04 There, they found Stephanie Bon Jovi, the daughter of rock legend John Bon Jovi,
02:09 who had suffered a drug overdose.
02:11 Thankfully, she survived the experience.
02:13 "At the small campus, students I talked to
02:15 seemed to know of Stephanie Bon Jovi, but no details about the incident."
02:20 After getting medical help, both Bon Jovi and her friend Ian Grant,
02:24 who had been with her that night, were arrested on several drug-related charges.
02:28 However, the case was quickly dismissed due to the state's Good Samaritan law,
02:32 which protects anyone who suffers or reports an overdose from being prosecuted.
02:36 Bon Jovi described this incident as his quote "worst moment as a father."
02:41 "That must have been so terrifying, John."
02:43 "The worst phone call ever. She's doing great."
02:46 Number 17. Michael Jordan
02:49 Marcus Jordan certainly had an eventful time as a student at the University of Central Florida.
02:54 Firstly, in 2010, the son of the basketball legend was investigated after he bragged about
02:59 splashing $35,000 at a nightclub, despite being underage. Then in 2012, Jordan was found causing
03:06 a disturbance outside the Embassy Suites Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska. He'd gotten into a drunken
03:11 argument with two women and refused to calm down, despite the intervention of an off-duty cop.
03:16 "What's it like to be out in the world talking about things?"
03:18 "It's definitely a little different now. I think we were both just being cautious."
03:22 After more officers arrived on the scene, Jordan was arrested for disorderly conduct,
03:26 resisting arrest, and obstructing justice. He eventually pleaded no contest to a
03:31 disturbing the peace charge and was fined $250 plus court costs.
03:36 "One of the things that, you know, I've taken from my dad is like,
03:39 don't be afraid to ask questions."
03:40 Number 16. Hugh Hefner
03:42 "Although he had become immensely successful, family life never meshed well with the life of
03:47 a Playboy."
03:48 In public, Marston Hefner and playmate Claire Sinclair seemed to be happy.
03:52 But behind the scenes, the son of Hugh Hefner acted horrendously.
03:56 "How does your wife feel about you posing nude and participating in OnlyFans?"
04:01 "She's like not crazy about me being on OnlyFans."
04:05 In 2012, the police arrived at the couple's home in Pasadena, California after being notified
04:10 about a domestic violence situation. Hefner had attacked Sinclair, leaving her with injuries and
04:15 damaging her laptop. After he was arrested, Sinclair quickly filed a restraining order
04:20 against him. Father Hugh didn't appear to be concerned with the incident, saying,
04:24 quote, "If they care about each other, they'll patch it up."
04:27 Hefner pleaded no contest to misdemeanor domestic violence and was sentenced to attend a 52-week
04:32 rehabilitation program. He was also ordered to avoid contact with Sinclair for at least
04:38 three years.
04:39 Number 15. Dog the Bounty Hunter
04:41 In 2008, Dwayne "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman was booking someone in at the police station in
04:47 Pueblo, Colorado.
04:48 "You're Chris "Chappy" Hecht, right?"
04:50 "Yup."
04:51 "You're Dog the Bounty Hunter's son, huh?"
04:53 "Yes, sir."
04:53 "And you're the oldest, huh?"
04:55 "Yup."
04:55 Little did he know, his eldest son Christopher Hecht was also there.
04:59 However, instead of being part of the family business and bringing in a felon,
05:03 Hecht was the one behind the metal bars. He had been arrested for assault,
05:07 reportedly due to attacking an at-risk adult at a local bar.
05:11 But that marked just one chapter of Hecht's lengthy history of run-ins with the law.
05:16 He found himself in handcuffs again in 2020 for a menacing charge,
05:20 which landed him a three-year prison sentence.
05:22 "Ten years in jail, just shut up. I don't want to hear one word."
05:25 Number 14. Lionel Richie
05:27 The adopted daughter of the iconic singer Lionel,
05:30 Nicole Richie has had numerous legal issues over the years. By 2003, the Simple Life star
05:36 had been arrested on multiple occasions, including an incident involving a nightclub brawl.
05:40 However, her most infamous mugshot moment happened in 2006 when she was pulled over
05:45 for wrong-way driving while under the influence of controlled substances.
05:48 "When the officers got to the scene, they found Nicole Richie."
05:51 In 2007, the five-month-pregnant Richie pleaded guilty to the DUI.
05:56 She was fined over $2,000, placed on three years of probation,
06:00 and required to take part in an alcohol education program.
06:03 Additionally, she received a four-day jail sentence.
06:07 Richie endured the sentence for 82 minutes before she was released due to overcrowding.
06:12 "If she gets convicted twice in California under California vehicle code,
06:16 two convictions can lead to 90 days to a year in jail."
06:21 Number 13. NeNe Leakes
06:23 In 2012, reality star NeNe Leakes had her personal life brought to the forefront
06:27 during production of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. An episode of the show documented
06:31 her son, Bryson Bryant's, arrest for shoplifting razors. Since then, Bryant's run-ins with the law
06:37 have only continued.
06:38 "The 33-year-old was arrested in Georgia on multiple charges."
06:42 In 2023, he was arrested at a house in Lawrenceville, Georgia,
06:46 when illicit substances were discovered on him. To make things worse, he reportedly gave the
06:50 cops his younger brother's name instead of his own and listed his mother's former address as
06:55 his residence. Unsurprisingly, that didn't work. With Bryant's iffy legal history and the catalog
07:00 of charges against him, such as a probation violation and possession, he is set to remain
07:06 in jail until 2024.
07:08 "He has an addiction. He's been struggling with it for years."
07:12 Number 12. Rod Stewart
07:14 The Maggie Mae Singer's son, Sean Stewart, is seemingly quick to react aggressively,
07:19 and often finds himself in hot water with the law. In 2002, he received a three-month sentence
07:24 for kicking a stranger unconscious in Los Angeles, California. Five years later, Stewart was
07:29 arrested after he threw a brick at a couple in a car, but the charges were later dropped.
07:34 Then in 2019, Papa Stewart teamed up with his son to physically assault a hotel security guard
07:39 in Palm Beach, Florida, resulting in the two being arrested.
07:43 "Rod and Sean Stewart both pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of simple battery."
07:47 Their legal team negotiated a deal in 2021, which saw them plead guilty to the charge of
07:52 simple battery, although they essentially got off scot-free.
07:56 "There's nothing wrong to take a nice Bentley out for a drive to wave at some pretty women.
08:01 Hello, what's up shorty?"
08:03 Number 11. Robert Downey Jr.
08:05 The Marvel icon has infamously had troubles with the law, stemming from his issues with
08:09 substance use disorder. But nowadays, Robert Downey Jr. is in a much, much better place.
08:15 "I am Iron Man."
08:16 Yet in 2014, it might have been frightening when his son Indio appeared to be treading
08:22 in his father's footsteps. The younger Downey was arrested in West Hollywood, California,
08:26 after being spotted using illegal substances in a car. After being released on bail, he was
08:31 admitted to a rehabilitation center, while his father publicly thanked the cops for stepping in.
08:36 "Robert Downey Jr. has thanked police for arresting his 20-year-old son Indio for suspected drug
08:42 possession."
08:43 After 20 months in rehab, Downey arrived in court in 2016. The judge dismissed the charges
08:49 against him and cleared his record, recognizing his efforts to overcome the situation.
08:54 Number 10. Michael Douglas.
08:56 Michael Douglas has two Academy Awards and five Golden Globes under his belt.
09:01 His eldest son, on the other hand, hasn't fared nearly as well. Cameron Douglas was
09:06 caught selling illicit substances out of a high-end hotel in Manhattan,
09:09 and for that he received a sentence of five years. But the story doesn't end there.
09:14 Douglas repeatedly violated prison rules when he had his lawyer smuggle drugs to him while in jail.
09:19 "My oldest son Cameron, who's 37 now, has struggled with addiction for most of his life."
09:28 Consequently, his sentence was extended. Douglas was released early after serving
09:32 seven years in prison, two of which were in solitary confinement. Following a stint in
09:37 an NYC halfway house, he released a book in 2019 detailing his experience with the law.
09:43 Number 9. James Brown.
09:44 "Watch me, I got it."
09:47 If you had to pick a song from this iconic soul singer's catalog to describe the behavior of his
09:52 daughter, Venetia Brown, it would have to be "Superbad."
09:55 "I got soul, and I'm super bad."
09:58 In 2012, Brown was working at St. Stephen's Ministry of Augusta, Inc.,
10:02 from which she reportedly stole an SUV.
10:05 When her boss encountered her in the vehicle at an intersection the next day,
10:09 the two of them had a confrontation. Brown reportedly sped off in the middle of it,
10:13 dragging her boss over the hood of a parked car in the process.
10:17 She was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident,
10:21 as well as first-degree assault and battery. Sadly,
10:24 Brown passed away in 2018 from complications due to pneumonia.
10:29 Number 8. Tom Hanks.
10:30 "My mama always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates.
10:36 You never know what you're gonna get.'"
10:40 Chet Hanks, son of the legendary American actor Tom,
10:44 has seemingly always been the black sheep of his family. But his drug-related run-in
10:48 with the law, as well as another car, confirmed this.
10:52 "What does your dad think about it? Can I ask that?"
10:54 "My parents are just like, they're just like making sure I'm good, like…"
10:57 In 2015, he rear-ended a man in California while intoxicated.
11:02 Not long after that incident, he checked himself into rehab.
11:06 Tom and his wife Rita Wilson were named as co-defendants in the case
11:09 because the car was registered in their name,
11:12 and it was alleged that they knew about their son's struggles.
11:15 However, at the end of 2016, Chet, who is an actor and has played roles in Fantastic Four
11:21 and the TV series Shameless, told Instagram that his newly-born daughter motivated him to get sober.
11:27 Number 7. Hulk Hogan.
11:30 It can be tough living in the shadow of a successful father,
11:33 especially one as famous as actor, musician, entrepreneur,
11:37 wrestler, and all-around household name Hulk Hogan.
11:40 In 2007, the Hulkster's son Nick Hogan was charged with reckless driving after crashing into a tree.
11:47 Sure enough, his blood alcohol level was revealed to be higher than the 0.02% legal limit.
11:53 On top of that, he was a minor at the time.
11:56 But perhaps the worst part of the incident is the fact that his passenger was severely injured in the crash
12:02 and is expected to require constant care for the indefinite future.
12:06 "What Al Qaeda could not do to my son, Nick Bollea did in a matter of minutes."
12:10 Number 6. Lawrence Fishburne.
12:12 As the daughter of the legendary actor,
12:14 Montana Fishburne turned heads when she briefly entered the adult film industry in 2010.
12:20 Then she was arrested for breaking into her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend's house and attacking her.
12:24 In 2011, Fishburne pleaded no contest to the charges and was sent to rehab for 180 days.
12:30 "As a Latino American to another Latino American,
12:34 I would appreciate if you can have me, show me the exercise."
12:39 Then it got worse for her in 2017 after she was pulled over in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
12:44 for a suspected DUI after rear-ending a vehicle.
12:47 Dashcam footage showed Fishburne relieving herself at the side of the road despite the officer's protests.
12:52 In 2018, she pleaded no contest to the multiple charges.
12:56 Fishburne was sentenced to community service, 12 months of probation,
13:00 and had to attend various rehabilitation programs.
13:03 "So I'm just chilling with you right now."
13:05 "For now, for the next couple of hours."
13:08 "You're my daddy."
13:08 Number 5. Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal.
13:12 Despite the fact that, or perhaps because his parents are both famous actors,
13:16 Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal's son Redmond has struggled most of his adult life.
13:21 In July of 2015, he was sentenced to three years in prison for violating his probation
13:26 when it was discovered that he was in possession of a controlled substance and a weapon the previous year.
13:31 He was originally arrested in 2008 and ended up violating his parole a reported total of four times.
13:38 In 2016, he was ultimately released early due to overcrowded prisons
13:43 and was given credit for 300 days served.
13:46 Number 4. Jackie Chan.
13:49 This action star is an acting icon both in America and in his native Hong Kong.
13:54 But his son isn't what you'd call a chip off the old block.
13:58 Born in 1982, J.C. Chan is a singer and actor himself.
14:02 But in 2014, he was caught up in a drug bust that led to his arrest.
14:07 Authorities found significant amounts of controlled substances in his apartment.
14:11 Under local law, he faced possible extreme sentences,
14:15 including life imprisonment or the death penalty.
14:18 He was found guilty, but ultimately only wound up serving six months in jail.
14:23 Regardless, it was a major embarrassment for Jackie Chan,
14:26 who's been an official anti-drug ambassador since 2009.
14:30 Number 3. Nicolas Cage.
14:37 Weston Cage has a long list of troubles to his name, both big and small.
14:42 In 2011, he was arrested not once but twice for domestic violence against then-wife Nikki Williams.
14:49 That same year, he got into a fight with his personal trainer over what he was and wasn't allowed to eat.
14:54 He reportedly attempted to kick the trainer, only to receive a severe beating in response.
15:00 Though things seemed to be going well for Weston following a stint in rehab,
15:03 the start of a new relationship, and the birth of his son,
15:06 he was arrested for a hit-and-run and issued a DUI in 2017.
15:11 Number 2. Martin Sheen.
15:14 Son of the iconic Martin Sheen, Charlie Sheen was first arrested in 1996
15:19 for attacking then-girlfriend Brittany Ashland, who also publicly sued him.
15:23 Police responded to a disturbance in his room.
15:26 Sheen has had many problems over the years, and yet again he is in trouble.
15:31 Sheen pleaded no contest and received two years of probation and a suspended sentence.
15:36 After breaking the parole, Sheen was arrested in 1998,
15:39 but avoided jail by going to rehab instead.
15:42 "You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions, do you understand?
15:46 Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law."
15:48 In 2009, Sheen got the cuffs again for domestic violence against his then-wife Brooke Mueller,
15:54 due to a plea deal.
15:55 He received three months of probation, anger management classes, and more time in rehab.
16:00 With all this bad publicity, it's no wonder two-and-a-half men publicly fired Sheen.
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16:19 Number 1. Marlon Brando
16:23 "You spend time with your family?"
16:24 Arguably one of the world's most famous actors ever,
16:28 Marlon Brando fathered a child with one of the most infamous criminal cases in the industry.
16:33 Though he landed a handful of acting gigs when he was younger,
16:35 the late Christian Brando is without a doubt best remembered
16:38 for his heavily publicized 1990 pretrial and subsequent proceedings.
16:42 After learning that his half-sister may have been maltreated by her boyfriend, Dag Drolet,
16:47 Christian shot and killed the man in the living room of his father's Beverly Hills home.
16:51 After pleading guilty to manslaughter, he spent five years in jail and then,
16:55 ironically, went on to plead no contest to charges related to domestic violence years later.
16:59 He ultimately died of pneumonia in 2008, before the case could be settled.
17:04 Which of these entries shocked you the most? Let us know in the comments below.
17:07 Shane has had many problems over the years and yet again he is in trouble.
17:12 [Music]