Austin Lee Russell, better known to millions of television viewers as Chumlee from the hit reality series Pawn Stars, is preparing to accept a plea agreement that could allow him to avoid serving any prison time following a high-profile police raid on his Las Vegas home in March. According to details outlined in court filings and confirmed during a recent hearing, Russell will plead guilty to a single count of attempted possession of a controlled substance.
Under the terms of this agreement, he will be required to surrender all drugs and firearms seized during the search, successfully complete three years of probation, and participate in mandatory counseling or treatment programs as directed by the court. The negotiated deal is structured to resolve the case without incarceration, focusing instead on supervision, rehabilitation, and compliance with strict legal conditions. The case stems from a March 9 raid, during which law enforcement officers executed a search warrant and reportedly discovered 12 firearms, a gallon-sized bag of marijuana, a small quantity of methamphetamine, and prescription anti-anxiety medications, including Xanax.
Although the search was initially tied to an investigation into an alleged sexual assault, authorities have since confirmed that no charges were filed in connection with that allegation. In fact, Russell has never been charged with any sexual assault offense, and that separate investigation concluded without further legal action. As a result, the criminal proceedings against him now focus solely on the drug and weapons-related offenses uncovered during the search of his residence. A crucial element of the plea agreement is a provision for the conditional dismissal of the felony weapons charge, but this outcome will only be possible if Russell fully complies with all terms of his probation and avoids any additional legal trouble during the three-year period.
Should he meet these requirements, the felony charge will be dropped in 2019, leaving him with only a misdemeanor conviction on his record. However, failure to adhere to the agreement’s stipulations would result in significant consequences, including the possibility of a prison sentence ranging from two to five years on the weapons charge. The next significant step in the process is scheduled for June 1, when Russell is set to formally enter his guilty plea before the Clark County District Court. If the judge approves the plea deal, the agreed-upon conditions will take immediate effect. These will include the permanent forfeiture of all contraband seized during the raid, adherence to probation rules, completion of any counseling or treatment programs deemed necessary, and the avoidance of any further criminal conduct.
Legal analysts note that the arrangement reflects a compromise between the prosecution’s desire to secure accountability and the defense’s goal of minimizing the risk of prison time. The state achieves a conviction and ensures that Russell remains under close supervision for an extended period, while Russell gains the opportunity to preserve much of his personal freedom and work toward reducing the long-term impact on his criminal record. For Russell, who has cultivated a public image as a lighthearted and affable figure on Pawn Stars, the legal ordeal represents a stark contrast to his on-screen persona.
Nevertheless, the plea agreement offers him a path forward that avoids the most severe penalties, provided he can demonstrate consistent compliance with court-imposed conditions. The coming months and years will determine whether he successfully navigates probation and earns the dismissal of the felony weapons charge. If he does, by 2019 he will emerge from the case with only a misdemeanor on his record, allowing him to move past this legal chapter with far less damage than a felony conviction and prison sentence would cause. However, the stakes remain high, and any misstep could lead to a substantially different and far more severe outcome.
