Jamie Foxx's Arrest Record Isn't Squeaky Clean

Jamie Foxx is probably one of those celebrities you'd never guess has been arrested, but it's actually the opposite! Overall, 2003 was a super successful year for the actor. Foxx's biggest move that year was probably filming "Ray," the Ray Charles biopic, which eventually garnered him an Academy Award and a more visible profile. But Foxx also did some other pretty cool things this year.

For example, 2003 was the year that ESPN hand-selected Foxx to host the Espy Awards. "I've been a sports fan all my life and like most other actors, I'm convinced I could have been a pro athlete if Hollywood hadn't come calling," Foxx said in a press release (via ESPN). He continued, "I'm looking forward to sharing the evening with the sports elite, especially since my hosting responsibilities afford me the right to have fun with any and all of them." Foxx didn't actually host the broadcast until 2004, but he definitely exceeded all expectations by entertaining the crowd with a perfect balance of skits, jokes, and musical performances. Foxx returned to host the 2007 ESPYs, which is more than enough proof that he won over the production team and, most importantly, the audience. 

Unfortunately, 2003 was also the year that Foxx found himself in a little trouble with the law.

Jamie Foxx's past arrest was super serious. According to CNN, Foxx got arrested in the Spring of 2003 while visiting a casino in New Orleans with his sister, Deidra Dixon. The report states that Foxx and his younger sibling became angry after the casino's security guards barred them from entering until they presented their I.D. However, the siblings refused to vacate the premises and caused a commotion. After the security guards alerted higher authorities, Foxx and Dixon ended up in a physical altercation with cops that resulted in serious injuries on both sides.

Entertainment Weekly reported that Foxx spent a mere 20 minutes behind bars. Meanwhile, Deidra stayed locked up for several hours. Both were released on bonds, which amounted to just under $8,000. A few months later, Foxx faced a judge and pleaded not guilty to his charges, the most severe of which included battery on police officers, according to KPLCTV. At the time, Deidra hadn't been formally charged. 

It's also worth noting that Deidra shouldn't be confused with Foxx's other sister, DeOndra Dixon, who died in 2020.

Fortunately, Jamie Foxx hasn't been arrested more than once, but he certainly was in danger of it. At the beginning of 2004, Jamie Foxx was super close to spending more time in jail. And it probably would've been a lot more than 20 minutes! According to WLTX 19, a judge threatened to throw Foxx and Deidra Dixon in jail if they failed to return to New Orleans for a court appearance. Fortunately, it never came to that. However, Foxx soon learned of his fate. While he managed to avoid any serious jail time, he was put on probation. 

According to People, Foxx was sentenced to two years of probation. A judge also ordered him to pay a $1500 fine. Interestingly, Foxx changed his plea from not guilty to guilty. Meanwhile, Dixon, who was eventually charged for her participation, faced a slightly harsher consequence. Dixon received a five-year suspended prison sentence and five years of probation. She also had to pay $14,500 in fines.