ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Rod Wave, a rapper from St. Petersburg, was wrongfully arrested by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, a spokesperson confirms.
According to records previously visible online, the rapper — whose legal name is Rodarius Green — was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with “Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.”
However, Rod Wave’s legal team immediately labeled the arrest as incorrect.
“Not only was he not in possession of ammunition, a basic check of public records would have easily demonstrated to the police that he was not a convicted felon,” attorney Brad Cohen wrote on Instagram.
According to Melissa Conway, a spokesperson for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the arrest was made “based on information provided by St. Petersburg Police Department.”
“It was later learned that the information provided (convicted felon status) was inaccurate, and Green has since been released,” Conway wrote in a statement to ABC Action News.
Rod Wave was and still is being investigated by St. Pete Police following a shooting outside the Sonic Sports Bar and Lounge on Easter Sunday.
The shooting injured four people, and police have charged multiple members who they say are members of the Young Gangsters gang and have been seen with the rapper since the summer of 2023.
As of Thursday morning all five men in connection to the shooting have been arrested.
St. Pete Police said 20-year-old Kevontre Wesby, 21-year-old Keith Wesby, 24-year-old Christopher Atkins, 32-year-old Elias Torres, and 24-year-old Willie Cookinson have been arrested.
Kevontre Wesby was charged with attempted second-degree murder, carrying a concealed firearm, and delinquent in possession of a firearm. Keith Wesby and Atkins were charged with second-degree murder.
Torres and Cookinson were charged with principal to attempt second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder, respectively.
The three arrests were made following raids at two homes: one at a home in St. Pete and another in Palmetto.
While the rapper is not being investigated for the shooting itself, St. Pete Police Assistant Chief Mike Kovacsev says he is being investigated for what was seized during two raids because both homes are rented by the rapper or one of his businesses.
In all, police say they seized five rifles, five handguns, ammunition, and more than $10,000 in cash.
According to St. Pete Police, the Young Gangsters were also driving in vehicles registered in Rod Wave’s name or his record label’s name.
“And I hope that he would distance himself with individuals that would do things of this nature,” Kovacsev said in a news conference Wednesday.
