The Cuban singer Ovidio Crespo, known to fans as Ovi, is currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and may be facing deportation. According to ICE's official website, Ovi is presently held at the Krome Detention Center, which often serves as a departure point for migrants being sent back to their home countries.
The reggaeton artist appeared in court on Wednesday following his arrest the previous day in Miami. He is charged with possession of controlled substances, verbal assault with a firearm, and brandishing a firearm in public. The judge set his bail at $6,500 and issued a restraining order against a Venezuelan man whom Ovi allegedly threatened with a weapon while both were driving in Miami. When arrested, officers found a pistol on Ovi and two generic Percocet pills in his vehicle.
Journalist Alexis Boentes of Telemundo 51 disclosed on his Instagram that immigration authorities have placed a hold on Ovi. An immigration hold is a request by ICE when they are interested in a person detained in a local, federal, or state jail. This means that after being released, the individual can be held for an additional 48 hours. "During that time, ICE can take the person into custody and transfer them to one of their centers, which appears to be what happened in this case," Boentes explained.
Details of the Arrest
This week, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) in Miami released footage of Ovi's arrest, showing two officers forcibly removing him from his vehicle while a third officer pointed a gun at him. "He was involved in a traffic altercation and pointed a firearm at another driver. He is facing multiple felony charges," the FHP stated on their social media account.
Ovi was apprehended on Wednesday while driving a Lamborghini in Doral, where he lives. He was subsequently taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and charged with possession of controlled substances, verbal assault with a firearm, and brandishing a firearm in public. The incident leading to his arrest took place on Monday shortly after 12:45 pm.
The Incident with the Venezuelan Model
The victim, Venezuelan model Giussepe Benignini, was driving on Southwest Eighth Street under Florida's Turnpike in west Miami-Dade when Ovi's McLaren cut him off. After Benignini honked his horn, Ovi allegedly responded by pointing a gun out of his window. The model recorded the entire encounter on his cellphone, recognized Ovi and his car, and identified him via Instagram.
"I was driving, and a McLaren cut me off. I honked because he nearly hit me, and he stopped and pulled out a gun. [...] I thought he was going to shoot me," Benignini recounted.
Ovi's Troubled History
This incident adds to a series of similar events involving the Cuban singer over the past few years in the U.S., where he has been arrested multiple times. In 2021, he had a confrontation with another singer and also displayed a weapon in public.
Ovi's repeated run-ins with the law and his current detention by ICE highlight ongoing issues surrounding his behavior and legal status in the United States.