Nelly faces no drug charges following her arrest at the St. Louis casino

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rapper Nelly will not face drug charges following his arrest at a St. Louis-area casino this summer, a prosecutor said.

“We do not believe the facts in this case warrant the filing of charges,” St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell said in a statement Tuesday.

Nelly, 49, whose birth name was Cornell Haynes II, grew up in the area. His attorney, Scott Rosenblum, said the search that led to Nelly's arrest in August was unwarranted.

Bell's office did not explain why the decision was made not to press charges. Rosenblum said in an email Wednesday that Bell's decision followed “a fair and impartial review of the evidence.”

Nelly was arrested at 4:45 a.m. on August 7 while attempting to collect several jackpots he won at the Hollywood Casino & Hotel in Maryland Heights, Missouri. A police officer assigned to the casino told Nelly that a search would be required if a player won more than a certain amount of money. Rosenblum said such a search review was not necessary.

The background check revealed a judge issued a warrant for his arrest in December for a 2018 citation for operating a vehicle without proof of insurance. Due to the outstanding warrant, Nelly was arrested and searched. The officer is said to have found four Ecstasy pills. Police had filed a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The insurance case has now been resolved. Rosenblum said the lawsuit was dismissed after Nelly provided proof that he had car insurance.

Nelly, a three-time Grammy winner, is known for hits like “Hot in Herre” and “Just a Dream.” He has had four No. 1 hits and received nine Billboard Music Awards. He has also appeared in several films and television series.

Nelly won the 2002 Grammy Awards for Best Rap/Vocal Collaboration and Best Male Solo Rap Performance, and his “Nellyville” was nominated for both Best Rap Album and Best Album of the Year that year. He also won a Grammy the following year for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Shake Ya Tailfeather.”