By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-09-02 03:46:34 | Updated at 2026-09-02 04:58:52
1 hour ago
The DeBarge brothers just can’t seem to stay out of trouble.
James and Chico DeBarge — members of the famous musical family behind R&B and pop hits including “Rhythm of the Night” and “I Like It” — were arrested Friday in Burbank on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance.
The latest bust unfolded around 1:30 a.m. when Burbank police spotted a Chevy Tahoe towing a Nissan SUV with a tow strap. Neither vehicle had license plates, authorities said.
James DeBarge, 63, was behind the wheel of the Tahoe.
His brother Jonathan Chico DeBarge, 60, was riding in the Nissan as it was being towed.
Police said narcotics were found at the scene, leading to arrests of both men, according to NBC4.
Both vehicles were towed.
Neither brother was wearing a seatbelt, according to authorities.
And Chico had another problem waiting for him: an outstanding warrant.
Police did not immediately disclose what the warrant was for.
The Friday arrest is hardly Chico’s first run-in with drug charges.
In October 1988, Chico and his older brother Bobby DeBarge were arrested and convicted over their roles in a conspiracy to smuggle more than two pounds of cocaine from Los Angeles to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Chico went on to spend several years in federal prison.
His legal troubles didn’t end there.
Chico was arrested on drug possession charges in 2007, late 2019 and early 2021.
The 2021 case also included a charge accusing him of falsely impersonating his brother James.
Then, just over a year before Friday’s arrest, Burbank police stopped Chico while he was riding a bicycle without proper lighting.
Officers found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, according to the supplied account, and he was arrested and booked on an outstanding warrant.
James has a lengthy 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 suspicion of drug possession and again on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
He was convicted on those charges in 2012.
In 2013, James was arrested over a hit-and-run involving possession of a controlled substance, resulting in additional jail time.
Then came another drug bust.
In April 2014, Los Angeles police arrested James in South LA on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine.
He was held without bail because of his prior convictions.
The brothers’ brushes with the law are part of a broader pattern that has dogged the DeBarge family.
Other siblings, including the group’s primary lead singer, El DeBarge, have also faced high-profile drug- and weapon-related arrests.
Chico also released solo albums during the 1980s and 1990s and has openly addressed his struggles with addiction through his music.
His sixth album, “Addiction,” dealt with the impact of substance abuse, including his prison sentence on drug charges.
Now, another alleged drug offense has landed the brothers in custody.
