CHICAGO — Chicago drill rapper Melanie Doyle, known professionally as Mello Buckzz, was ordered held without bond on Tuesday after her arrest last week in connection with the alleged possession of a stolen Glock handgun. The incident occurred just before 10 p.m. on June 15 when police officers stopped a Mercedes-Benz sedan driven by Doyle near South Rockwell Street.
According to Chicago Police Department records and Cook County court documents, officers initially pulled over the vehicle due to its tinted front windshield, which is against city regulations. During their interaction with Doyle, they found marijuana in her purse and an open bottle of vodka on the car floor. When asked for identification, she refused to exit the vehicle, leading to a standoff that lasted approximately 15 minutes.
It was during this confrontation that officers reportedly observed part of what appeared to be a firearm under the driver's seat. The gun recovered from the scene had been reported stolen in Bedford Park and is now central to charges against Doyle, which include aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest, driving with an obstructed windshield, and transporting open alcohol.
Doyle’s Instagram account, followed by nearly 500,000 people, featured an audio message she recorded from Cook County Jail. In the message, released on Friday, Mello Buckzz expressed disappointment at her current situation but remained optimistic about overcoming this setback: “I really wish I was coming to send this message from home, but I’m not... Things didn’t go that way.” She also urged followers not to believe everything they see online and thanked them for their support.
This arrest comes nearly a year after Mello Buckzz faced public scrutiny following a mass shooting at her album release party in Chicago's River North neighborhood. The incident resulted in four fatalities and 14 injuries, raising concerns about gang-related violence and retaliation within the city’s music scene. Doyle has since been working to change her image but now faces new legal challenges that could have significant implications for her career.
Doyle’s father, Melvin Doyle, previously pleaded guilty to federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, unrelated to his daughter's case according to authorities at the time. He is scheduled to be sentenced this September and may face up to six months in prison based on his plea agreement with prosecutors.
The arrest highlights ongoing issues surrounding gun control and public safety in Chicago, particularly within communities affected by gang activity and violent crime.