Dancehall artiste Squash is scheduled to reappear in a Miami-Dade courtroom on April 2 for his arraignment hearing. The Jamaican entertainer, born Andrae Maurice Whittaker, appeared in court on Wednesday morning for the first time following his Florida arrest. Wednesday’s brief session laid the groundwork for his case, which is seemingly shaping up to be a complex legal battle.
The arraignment is a critical stage in any criminal case. On April 2, Squash will be formally informed of the charges against him, and he will have the opportunity to enter a plea. The deejay is accused of illegal possession of a modified firearm and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, according to Nationwide News.
Squash was arrested on charges after he was pulled over by the police during a routine traffic stop on February 24. Authorities in Miami discovered multiple firearms while searching the vehicle he was in. Among the confiscated items was a Glock pistol modified with an invisi-switch, popularly known as a “Chip Glock”, per the report. The weapon was discovered in the passenger-side glove compartment.
Additionally, the police found another Glock pistol loaded with an extension clip and three loaded magazines in the vehicle. Another individual was arrested with Squash. The entertainer’s associate, Zidanne George Prescott, was apprehended after police found he was operating the vehicle without a permit.
According to Nationwide News, the police made the arrest after a person under FBI surveillance was seen handing Squash a black object, which is believed to be one of the firearms found in his car. Earlier reports state that a bond of $3,000 was set. His bail will also be discussed at his upcoming court date.
Until then, he remains in custody. It was initially speculated by the public that he was already out on bail when news of him being released from police custody broke, but later news confirmed he was being held by ICE. Squash’s legal battle was apparently met by immigration issues, as he was moved from police custody to an ICE-operated detention centre at the Krome North Service Processing Centre in Florida.