In his fourth run-in with Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies within a year, rapper DMX now faces charges of theft of services and identity theft for trying to avoid paying $7,500 in medical bills from Scottsdale's Mayo Clinic in April, officials said.

DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was arrested at Metrocenter shopping mall Saturday. On Sunday, he was held in isolation, for his safety, at the Towers Jail on a $60,000 bond, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Sunday. Simmons was indicted Wednesday on the two felony charges, Arpaio said.

"He seems to have a long record and nothing ever happens," Arpaio said. "I am concerned that these judges keep letting him get out. I don't know how many times he has to be booked into jail. He keeps committing all these violations and keeps getting out and continues to violate the law. He has lived a charmed life."

In April, the 37-year-old rapper went for treatment at Scottsdale's Mayo Clinic. He stayed nine hours, racking up the $7,500 bill, but provided hospital staff with a false name, "Troy Jones," and a fake Social Security number, Arpaio said.

The rapper also gave a non-existent address in Yonkers, N.Y., and provided false contact information, including the name of a girlfriend, "Jennifer Martinez," and a cellphone number, officials said.

Simmons' Phoenix attorney Charles Kozelka said on Sunday night that Arpaio's involvement in the case and his statement to the media shows he is "out to get Mr. Simmons." Kozelka would not elaborate on what he meant by this but said "we are excited to get the second half of the story out" during the legal process ahead.

The arrest Saturday is the fourth time within a year that Simmons has been arrested or cited by the Sheriff's Office. The recent case began as part of an earlier seven-month animal-cruelty investigation that kicked off in August, Arpaio said.

After receiving a tip, deputies found 12 malnourished dogs, three dogs buried, drugs and a cache of weapons at Simmons' home in north Phoenix, near Cave Creek, in August.

The sheriff's jurisdiction includes the unincorporated area of Cave Creek.

On May 6, Simmons received a photo-enforcement ticket after police say he was clocked driving 114 mph on Loop 101 near Cactus Road.

Sheriff's deputies executing a search warrant on May 9 found five more malnourished dogs and weapons. Simmons was arrested on suspicion of felony drug and misdemeanor animal-cruelty charges. Simmons said he was sick and had been in the hospital the month before, Arpaio said.

About the same time, Simmons was cited by sheriff's deputies after he drove recklessly while riding off-road in an ATV in a Cave Creek park. He had failed to pay a fee, provide identification and was driving on a suspended license, Arpaio said.

In late June, Simmons was arrested in Miami on charges of attempting to purchase cocaine and marijuana from an undercover officer.

On July 2, when Simmons returned from Florida to the Valley, sheriff's deputies arrested him at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court.

In 1999, Simmons faced 13 animal-cruelty charges in Teaneck, N.J. Police had found 13 pit-bull puppies in cages or crates in the basement and garage of his home. The confinement had deformed the puppies and they had to be cut from their cages.

Simmons pleaded guilty to all 13 counts of animal cruelty and paid $30,000 in fines and produced $27,500 worth of radio announcements and posters condemning animal abuse.

If Simmons remains in the jail for a while, he may be headed to tent city or the chain gang, Arpaio said.

"Only reason he lives in the desert is he likes to shoot his guns off and he keeps doing these shenanigans and doesn't get the message," Arpaio said. "He just doesn't believe in the criminal-justice system and sticks his nose up at it. Hopefully, nothing will happen when he gets out next."

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/2008/07/20/20080720dmx-ON-CP.html



whoa this is his 3rd time gettin arrested in the past 2 months.... does he not have any money because if I was him I would have paid the $ 7,500 doctor bill rather than going to jail...