6 Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Mugshots
This article includes mentions of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Over the years, dozens of celebrities have been arrested for crimes varying in degree of severity. While some have received a mere slap on the wrist, others have actually spent time behind bars. Regardless of what their punishment may have consisted of, some of their mugshot photos have gone viral for a variety of reasons, the most common being just how outrageous the photo is. You see, many people who are booked on suspicion of having committed a given offense actually pose for their mugshot photos and many of those pictures turn out to be quite amusing.
Of course, there are some A-listers who have been arrested more than once and their mugshot photos can be fun to compare and contrast. Take Paris Hilton, for example. Hilton has been arrested a couple of times and has three mugshot photos to prove it. The mugshot photo above was taken in Las Vegas in 2010 after Hilton was booked for drug possession, according to the Boston Herald. The photo quickly went viral, with the outlet even making a snarky comment about the snap: "Great mug shot, though. Love the braid." Hilton was in full hair and makeup in that booking photo, which is a callback to her OG mugshot photo from 2006. Let's take a look.
Paris Hilton looked 'hot' in her mugshot photos
Paris Hilton was first arrested in 2006 on suspicion of driving under the influence, more commonly known as DUI, according to CBS News. The heiress clearly knows her good side, angling her head to the side and keeping her chin down as she peered up at the camera lens. Hilton was driving her Mercedes-Benz SLR in California when she was pulled over. She blew 0.08 percent and was taken into custody. Her rep told People magazine that the ordeal was "humiliating" for Hilton, who went on Ryan Seacrest's radio show shortly thereafter to explain what had happened. "I was just really hungry and I wanted to have an In-N-Out burger," she said. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hilton's mugshot photo quickly went viral.
Hilton posed for another mugshot photo (left) when she turned herself in at the Century Regional Detention Facility to serve 45 days behind bars in her reckless driving case, according to the Associate Press (via Action News 5). Hilton appeared to be wearing full makeup, including eyeliner, blush, and lip gloss and wore her golden hair in a heavy side part. Hilton still angled her chin down and appeared to have a small smirk on her face, as evidenced by the upward curvature of her pout.
Josh Duggar seemed happy about his sentencing
Josh Duggar is a reality star who appeared on his family's television show, "19 Kids and Counting." Duggar was taken into custody on April 29, 2021 on child sex abuse image charges, according to Showbiz CheatSheet. In his initial mugshot photo, Duggar appears dazed with his eyes glossed over. Nevertheless, the father of seven appeared to be in good spirits, all things considered, and looked somewhat amused — or content if nothing else. After being found guilty of possessing and receiving child sex abuse images, Duggar was taken into custody and another mugshot photo was taken. This time, a noticeably more disheveled Duggar was actually smiling — and he made headlines for it.
According to People magazine, Duggar seemed "somber" when leaving the courtroom, but that feeling appeared long gone when it came time to have his picture taken. A few months later, Duggar learned his fate. He was sentenced to 12 and a half years behind bars and that was later extended by two months, per the New York Post. We'd love to assume that Duggar wasn't all smiles when he was placed in his prison cell, but judging off his booking photo, we're not super confident.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Orlando Brown smiles in just about all of his mugshot photos
We've never seen anyone so happy to take a mugshot photo. According to TMZ, "That's So Raven" star Orlando Brown was taken into custody in Ohio in December 2022 and seriously couldn't have been happier. Police responded to a 911 call and Brown was arrested on a domestic violence charge with "cause belief of imminent physical harm by threat of force." The actor appeared thrilled to have his photo snapped by law enforcement and had the biggest smile on his face (pictured left).
Believe it or not, this is apparently a trend for the star, who was arrested on one count of burglary in 2018, per E! News. Again, apparently just happy to be alive, Brown flashed a huge smile to the camera when his booking photo was taken. About nine months prior, Brown had been arrested in Barstow, California, following an argument involving his then-girlfriend and her mother, according to E! News. Brown was also smiling big in that mugshot photo. He's nothing if not consistent.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Khloe Kardashian's family has her mugshot framed
Khloe Kardashian's mugshot photo snapped in 2008 was an instant viral hit. The reality star was in full makeup when she posed for the snap, which was taken following a DUI arrest. On an episode of "The Kardashians" years later, Kardashian's mom, Kris Jenner, brought up the mugshot and said it was "really cute" (via E! News). The mom of two went on to say that she intentionally got dolled up for the pic. "Malika [Haqq] did my hair for my mugshot. I did my own makeup," she said. Indeed, Kardashian had some drastic black eyeliner rimming her eyes, a healthy coat of mascara on her lashes, and plenty of blush popping on her cheeks. She tilted her face down slightly and looked up with her eyes, which seems to be a popular way for female celebs to have their mugshots taken.
The booking photo of Kardashian was so iconic that her mother and her sister, Kim Kardashian, actually have it framed in their homes, according to Us Weekly. As far as her arrest goes, Kardashian was sentenced to 30 days behind bars, but served barely three hours before she was released.
Justin Bieber was booked in Miami on suspicion of DUI
Justin Bieber was not happy when police pulled him over in Miami, Florida in 2014. The then 19-year-old was apparently "drag racing" in the wee hours in the morning — and he had drugs in his system. An intoxication report indicated that Bieber was "excited," "talkative," "insulting" and "cocky," according to CNN, so his mugshot photo kind of tracks. When it came time for his booking photo, the Canadian heartthrob smiled for the camera, seemingly unbothered. It appears as though Bieber may have run a hand through his hair before posing for the photo, as it stood up nicely in the front. When it came time for the profile shot, Bieber appeared less happy, looking straight ahead with his lips slightly parted.
On January 23, 2021, Bieber took to Instagram to mark the 7-year anniversary of his arrest. "Not proud of where I was at in my life. I was hurting, unhappy, confused, angry, mislead, misunderstood and angry at god.. I also wore too much leather for someone in Miami," he wrote.
Bruno Mars was arrested for possession of cocaine in Las Vegas
Bruno Mars' mugshot photo looks more like a license photo that was taken at the RMV. After a performance at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas in 2010, the "Grenade" singer was arrested on a drug charge, according to Billboard. Mars, whose real name is Peter Gene Hernandez, looked fresh in his red plaid button-down with a gold chain around his neck. He looked straight into the camera and smiled like he'd been having a great day. The Grammy winner managed to avoid jail time thanks to a plea deal, per CBS News. After pleading guilty to possession of cocaine, Mars was ordered to pay a fine, do community service, and attend "drug counseling."
In an interview with GQ magazine a few years later, Mars was asked why he smiled in his mugshot photo. "I have no idea. It was a picture," he said, laughing. "I was really intoxicated. I was really drunk. So a lot of that is a big blur, and I try every day to forget and keep pushing," he added.