US star Nelly arrested over drug charges

Missouri State Highway Patrol took the Hot in Herre rapper, 49, into custody at 4:45am local time, according to online records we obtained.

A spokesperson for the law enforcement agency told The Post that Nelly was arrested inside the Hollywood Casino in St. Charles, Mo., after they ran a background check and found an outstanding warrant for not having proof of insurance from a previous traffic stop.

The verification check is reportedly standard for Missouri casinos in accordance with the state’s gaming commission regulations.

Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., was cited with possession of a controlled substance after officers allegedly found him with four ecstasy pills.

The “Ride Wit Me” rapper was also hit with the aforementioned driving without proof of insurance charge, but he has yet to be formally charged pending an investigation from state prosecutors.

Nelly’s lawyer tells Page Six exclusively Wednesday that his famous client was allegedly “targeted by an overzealous, out of line officer.”

“After winning several jackpots, at a venue where Mr. Haynes frequently visits and entertains at its amphitheatre; instead of just supervising the transfer of Mr. Haynes’ winnings, this officer felt compelled to needlessly run a check for warrants,” lawyer Scott Rosenblum claims in a statement.

“The officer informed Mr. Haynes a background check was mandated when a player won over a certain amount; Mr. Haynes knew this to be untrue as he had won several jackpots for similar or greater amounts including one just a week prior without incident or a background check.”

The lawyer further alleges that the arresting officer “conducted a search without probable cause where he claimed to have found alleged ‘ecstasy’ in Mr. Haynes’ personal property.”

Rosenblum points out that Nelly often travels internationally and is “regularly asked to supply proof of no warrants, including FBI checks.”

He concludes, “I am 100 percent confident this case will go nowhere. And we will be asking for an inquiry into this officer’s conduct.”

A spokesperson for the Maryland Heights Police Department, which booked Nelly, could not be reached.

This story originally appeared on Page Six and was reproduced with permission.