DeBarge Brothers James and Chico Arrested in Burbank on Drug Charges

R&B siblings James and Chico DeBarge were arrested in Burbank early Friday after police found narcotics during a traffic stop. Chico also had an outstanding warrant.

DeBarge Brothers Held in Burbank After Police Find Narcotics During Traffic Stop

James and Chico DeBarge, members of the R&B family behind hits such as "Rhythm of the Night" and "I Like It," were arrested in Burbank, California early Friday morning on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance, NY Post Metro reports.

Burbank police spotted a Chevy Tahoe towing a Nissan SUV with a tow strap at around 1:30 a.m. Neither vehicle displayed license plates. James DeBarge, 63, was driving the Tahoe; his brother Jonathan Chico DeBarge, 60, was riding inside the Nissan as it was being towed. Neither man was wearing a seatbelt.

Officers found narcotics at the scene and took both brothers into custody. Chico also had an outstanding warrant at the time of the arrest, though police did not immediately disclose what the warrant was for.

A Pattern of Drug Arrests

The bust is far from Chico's first encounter with drug charges. In October 1988, he and his older brother Bobby DeBarge were convicted on conspiracy charges after smuggling more than two pounds of cocaine from Los Angeles to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Chico served several years in federal prison as a result.

Subsequent arrests followed in 2007, late 2019, and early 2021. The 2021 case carried an additional charge accusing him of falsely impersonating his brother James. Just over a year before Friday's arrest, Burbank police stopped Chico while he was riding a bicycle without proper lighting and found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia on him. He was arrested and booked on an outstanding warrant at that time as well.

James has a substantial record of his own. He was arrested in 2010 on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm. In October 2011 he was arrested twice — once on drug possession charges and once again on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon — and was convicted on those charges in 2012. A 2013 arrest for hit-and-run combined with possession of a controlled substance resulted in additional jail time. In April 2014, Los Angeles police arrested James in South LA on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine; he was held without bail due to his prior convictions.

Trouble Across the DeBarge Family

The brothers' repeated run-ins with law enforcement reflect a wider pattern within the DeBarge family. El DeBarge, the group's primary lead singer, has also faced high-profile drug- and weapon-related arrests over the years.

Chico released solo albums during the 1980s and 1990s and has spoken openly about his addiction struggles through his music. His sixth album, titled "Addiction," addressed the effects of substance abuse, including his federal prison sentence on drug charges.

With Friday's arrest, both brothers are once again in custody on narcotics-related allegations.

Source: NY Post Metro