Why Is Chumlee Locked Up? The 2025 Scoop on a Pawn Stars Bust

Posted: June 23, 2025 | By USPrisonguide.com

Hey, pay attention—folks are still asking, “Why is Chumlee locked up?” It’s 11:58 AM BST on June 23, 2025, and the straight talk is: he’s not behind bars today. Austin Lee Russell, that quirky *Pawn Stars* character, slipped the cuffs back in 2016, but the question lingers like a bad smell. His arrest for drugs and guns that year kicked up a storm, and I’ve been wading through the muck to get the unfiltered story. Let’s tear into the details, call out the cushy fix, and figure out what this means for you out there.

Is Chumlee Locked Up as of June 23, 2025?

So, is Chumlee locked up right now? Not a bit—he’s roaming free. As of 11:58 AM BST on June 23, 2025, the 42-year-old Las Vegas local, famous for his antics on *Pawn Stars*, isn’t caged. His last run-in with the law was that 2016 arrest, which ended with a plea deal—no jail, just probation till 2019, per archived reports. I scoured the latest—no fresh warrants or charges from major outlets like AP or local Vegas courts show up.

He’s back on *Pawn Stars* Season 23, airing in 2025, per *Escapist Magazine* on February 24, 2025, and running his candy shop. X posts from this year toss around old jail chatter, some mocking, some curious—sentiment’s a jumbled mess, inconclusive as ever. Why is Chumlee locked up a question that won’t fade, even with freedom?

Why Was Chumlee Nearly Locked Up in 2016?

What the hell got Chumlee nearly locked up? The chaos erupted on March 9, 2016, when Las Vegas cops stormed his southwest pad, chasing a sexual assault lead, per *Los Angeles Times* on March 10, 2016. Instead, they struck gold—meth, pot, Xanax, and a dozen guns, some illegal, including assault rifles, per *USA Today* on March 10, 2016. The find was explosive.

Hit with 20 felonies—19 drug counts and one weapon charge—he stared down 70 years, per *News3LV* on March 10, 2016. The assault probe died for lack of evidence, but the drug and gun pile kept him on the hot seat. Why was Chumlee locked up’s shadow looming, and did his TV fame twist the stakes?

What Got Chumlee Out of Being Locked Up?

So, what the heck yanked Chumlee from being locked up? The shift came on May 23, 2016, when he struck a plea deal in Clark County court, per *AP News* on May 23, 2016. He pleaded guilty to a felony weapons rap and a misdemeanor drug possession try, swapping jail for three years’ probation and therapy, per *TIME* on May 23, 2016. It was a slick dodge.

If he stayed clean till 2019—which he did—the felony turned to a misdemeanor, per *People* on May 23, 2016. He handed over the stash and firepower, and *Pawn Stars* didn’t blink, per A&E. The law called it square; I call it a celebrity lifeline. Why is Chumlee locked up’s threat gone, and was this deal too lenient?

What’s Chumlee Doing Since He’s Not Locked Up?

Why is Chumlee locked up a dead issue, and what’s he up to now? The guy’s clawed back, no question. Since his 2016 plea, he’s been free, probation wrapped by 2019, per *ScreenRant* on September 4, 2024. He’s on *Pawn Stars* Season 23 in 2025, per *Escapist Magazine* on February 24, 2025, and runs Chumlee’s Candy on the Boulevard, a smash since 2017, per *Looper* on February 9, 2023. The grind’s paying off.

After gastric sleeve surgery, he dropped 160 pounds by October 2021, per *Toolify.ai* on January 2, 2024, and obsesses over Pokémon cards. X posts from 2025 hype his candy gig, but some jab at his past—sentiment’s inconclusive, a tug of praise and shade. Why is Chumlee locked up’s ghost still haunting, with all this going on?

What’s the Rumor Mill Saying About Chumlee Being Locked Up?

Why is Chumlee locked up still on people’s radar, and what’s the street saying? The talk’s loud and split. Posts found on X from 2023 to 2025 dredge up his 2016 bust—some call it a “get-out-of-jail-free” card, others a “joke”—sentiment’s inconclusive, a push-pull of fandom and gripe. I’ve been digging—my coworker’s been chewing on it.

*News3LV* on March 10, 2016, broke the story, but *ScreenRant* on September 4, 2024, cheers his comeback. Vegas locals, per *Las Vegas Review-Journal* in 2023, love his charm, yet *Looper* hints at a darker side. Why is Chumlee locked up’s tale still kicking, years later?

How Does Chumlee’s Lockup Scare Compare?

Why is Chumlee locked up’s near-miss a standout, or how does it stack? Let’s tear it apart.

• Scott Disick:** Disick’s 2015 DUI plea got 18 months’ probation—Chumlee’s matched, per 2015 *E! News*.
• Lindsay Lohan:** Lohan’s 2011 theft plea netted 120 days, served 35—Chumlee sidestepped that, per 2011 *CNN*.
• Justin Bieber:** Bieber’s 2014 DUI plea brought 2 years’ probation—Chumlee’s aligned, per 2014 *USA Today*.
• Nick Carter:** Carter’s 2005 DUI probation echoed Chumlee’s, per 2005 *MTV*.