20 Celebrities Who Served Time In Prison (PHOTOS)
It's shocking to hear that your favorite celebrity was taken into custody for committing a crime. It's even more eye-opening to hear about their time served -- or in some instances, the lack of time served. Some celebs have redeemed themselves in the public eye (who doesn't love Robert Downey Jr.?); others have been a train wreck since their initial arrest (Lindsay Lohan).
Find out which of your favorite celebs have served hard time behind bars. Some of these may surprise you!
Image @ Shannon Stapleton/Corbis
Paris Hilton
In 2007 Paris Hilton served three days in prison and 40 days of home monitoring for violating probation. Her arrest stemmed from her failure to enroll in a court-ordered rehab program after being pulled over for speeding and driving without a license.
Danny Trejo
Actor Danny Trejo's first arrest was at age 10. Gang bangs, heroin possession and robberies with live grenades -- the list of crimes reads like a Hollywood movie script. After serving several prison sentences, he became sober and eventually scored his first break on the set of Runaway Train. He's since starred in countless films and television shows, almost always as -- what else -- a tough guy.
Lil Kim
In 2005 Lil Kim spent 10 months in prison for lying to a grand jury in order to protect friends involved in a shooting. The judge compared her to Martha Stewart when he sentenced her to one year and a day, saying he didn't want to treat the rapper more severely than the lifestyle magnate, whom he said, "happens to be older and whiter and whose entertainment following is richer."
Mark Wahlberg
A 16-year-old Mark Wahlberg was arrested on attempted murder and assault charges in 1988 after attacking a man. He served 45 days of a two-year sentence. The victim has since spoken out publicly and forgiven the star of the Ted movies and dad to four kids.
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Robert Downey Jr.
For a while Robert Downey Jr. was arrested so many times some people lost count. In 1999 he was sentenced to three years in prison for failing to show up for a mandatory drug test during a three-year probation period. The arrest stemmed from an incident in which he walked into a neighbor's house, took off his clothes, crawled into an empty bed, and fell asleep. He only served one year. He managed to turn his life and career around, though. The Iron Man star credits his wife, Susan, for his remarkable recovery.
Martha Stewart
In 2004 Martha Stewart was sentenced to five months in prison for insider trading. She followed that up with another five months under house arrest and 19 months on probation. She reportedly taught the other female inmates how to do all sorts of DIY projects, and she famously walked out of prison wearing a cape she knitted while incarcerated.
O.J. Simpson
O.J. Simpson is currently serving 33 years for robbery. In 2007 Simpson had a confrontation with two sports memorabilia collectors in a Las Vegas hotel room. Simpson claims he was only trying to retrieve his own items. The former NFL great is no stranger to legal trouble. His 1990s trial for killing his ex-wife remains one of the most famous murder trials in U.S. history, though he was exonerated of those charges.
Kiefer Sutherland
In 2007 Kiefer Sutherland spent 48 days in prison for DUI charges. The days he spent in jail didn't interfere with the taping of his hit show at the time, 24. It seems there are some things the television networks are willing to work around.
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Christian Slater
In 1998 Christian Slater was sentenced to 90 days in jail for assaulting his girlfriend and resisting arrest. The actor had long been known for his drunken benders. Slater only served 59 days. The judge allowed the sentence to be pushed back a few days, so Slater could attend the movie premiere for Hard Rain -- not that anyone can remember the movie.
50 Cent
In 1994 rapper 50 Cent was sentenced to six months in a shock incarceration/boot camp program for drug dealing and possession. He credits that time in his life with helping to pull himself together.
Lauryn Hill
She was on top of the world in the 1990s, winning several Grammys for her record-breaking album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. But in 2013 Hill spent three months in prison for failing to pay over $1 million in taxes over a decade. Hill is known for being a bit of a recluse, refusing interviews and for a time, seemingly dropping out of the music business altogether.
Mike Tyson
In 1992 Mike Tyson was sent to prison for six years for the rape of Miss Black America contestant Desiree Washington. He served three years. To this day Tyson claims everything that occurred between the couple was consensual.
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Richard Hatch
In 2006 Richard Hatch, the first winner of the TV show Survivor, was arrested for failing to pay taxes on the show's $1 million prize. He went to prison for three years.
Tim Allen
The voice of Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story series, Allen was arrested in 1978 for possession of nearly one-and-a-half pounds of cocaine. He served two years and went on to become everybody's favorite handyman on the TV show Home Improvement just a few years after his incarceration.
Charles S. Dutton
At 17, actor Charles S. Dutton stabbed another kid to death and ended up spending seven years in prison, where he discovered a love for drama and theatre. Today the creative force behind The Wire and a slew of other TV and film projects inspires youth with a one-man show he titled "From Jail to Yale." Inspiring!
Tom Sizemore
Actor Tom Sizemore was sentenced to 16 months for assaulting his girlfriend, failing drug tests and violating probation. He served 9 months in jail in 2007 and has had quite the reputation for being a wild child since. His friend, Robert De Niro, reportedly helped him check into rehab.
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Wesley Snipes
Some celebs make so much money, they don't want to pay taxes. Wesley Snipes spent three years in prison for failing to pay amost $7 million in taxes. The actor's career has slowed down quite a bit since his conviction.
Phil Spector
Music producer Phil Spector was convicted of second-degree murder in 2009 despite vehemently proclaiming his innocence. Actress Lana Clarkson was found slumped in a chair in Spector's home with a gunshot wound to the roof of her mouth. A prosecutor reportedly said Spector was a dangerous man who had a history of playing Russian roulette with women. His driver testified and claimed Spector ran out of his home on the day of the murder while holding a gun and claiming, "I think I killed someone!" Yikes!
Ja Rule
The rapper spent over two years in prison for possession of a gun and tax evasion in 2011. He shot to the top of the charts with a duet with Jennifer Lopez, then switched to acting and has appeared in over a dozen movies, including The Fast and the Furious franchise.
Lil Wayne
In 2010 Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to second-degree weapons charges in exchange for a lesser sentence. He ended up serving eight months of a 12-month sentence. While in prison he released the digital version of the album, I Am Not A Human Being.
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