Actors Charged with Weapons-Related Offences

High-profile arrests don’t happen in a vacuum—especially when they involve firearms. This roundup looks at male actors who, at various points, faced weapons-related charges, and briefly situates each case alongside the work they’re known for. The goal is clarity: what the charge was, and what these actors are best recognized for on-screen.

For each entry, you’ll see concise case facts with solid sourcing, then film or TV context—plot points, cast, and key crew—so the names and headlines aren’t floating without their creative backdrop. Titles of movies and shows appear in single quotes to keep things tidy and consistent.

Robert Downey Jr.

In Malibu, deputies found narcotics and an unloaded .357 Magnum in Downey’s pickup during a traffic stop, leading to drug counts and a misdemeanor concealed-weapon charge; prosecutors later filed the case, and he entered a not-guilty plea before a series of subsequent court proceedings. On screen, Downey is most closely tied to Marvel Studios’ ‘Iron Man’, directed by Jon Favreau, with a plot that follows Tony Stark building a prototype suit to escape captivity and evolving into a reluctant hero; the film stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, and Terrence Howard, with a score by Ramin Djawadi and cinematography by Matthew Libatique.

Downey’s film work around that period helped define the modern superhero template: ‘Iron Man’ launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s continuity and introduced recurring figures like Nick Fury, while spotlighting Stark’s conflict with the Ten Rings and Obadiah Stane. Official materials credit writers Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, and Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, with producing by Avi Arad and Kevin Feige and editing by Dan Lebental.

Christian Slater

Slater was arrested at New York’s JFK Airport after a loaded handgun was detected at security, leading to a criminal-possession-of-a-weapon charge; he was released on his own recognizance and later agreed to community service working with homeless children as part of a plea arrangement. He’s widely associated with ‘True Romance’, a Tony Scott crime caper written by Quentin Tarantino that tracks newlyweds on the run with a suitcase of cocaine; the cast includes Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Walken, with Hans Zimmer’s score and Jeffrey L. Kimball’s cinematography shaping its style.

In ‘True Romance’, Slater plays comic-store clerk Clarence whose Elvis-whispered bravado collides with Hollywood and the mob, while the production was mounted by Morgan Creek and Davis Films with Warner Bros. distribution in key territories. Editing was by Michael Tronick and Christian Wagner, and the script’s pop-culture riffs are a hallmark of Tarantino’s early writing.

Wesley Snipes

Snipes was cited in Los Angeles after police assisting him following a minor motorcycle incident found a semiautomatic pistol under his jacket; the city attorney moved forward on misdemeanor counts of carrying a concealed and loaded firearm. He’s best known for Marvel’s ‘Blade’, about a half-vampire who hunts vampires; the film stars Snipes with Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, and N’Bushe Wright, written by David S. Goyer, directed by Stephen Norrington, and noted for its dark action palette and Theo van de Sande’s photography.

‘Blade’ follows the Daywalker’s clashes with Deacon Frost and blends comic-book lore with martial-arts choreography, with Mark Isham’s score and Paul Rubell’s editing driving the pace; the project involved New Line Cinema and Marvel Enterprises and later grew into a franchise that influenced subsequent superhero filmmaking.

Sanjay Dutt

India’s Supreme Court upheld Dutt’s conviction under the Arms Act for possessing prohibited weapons linked by investigators to a wider smuggling network tied to the Mumbai bombings case, imposing a five-year sentence; he ultimately completed his term after earlier periods on bail. On screen, he’s indelibly linked to ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’, a Rajkumar Hirani comedy-drama produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, with a story about a Mumbai don enrolling in medical school; the ensemble features Sunil Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, and Gracy Singh, with music by Anu Malik and cinematography by Binod Pradhan.

The film centers on Munna’s hospital antics and clashes with a stern dean while exploring friendship with Circuit, and it became a cultural touchstone that later spun off a sequel; editing credits include Pradeep Sarkar and Rajkumar Hirani, with release handled under the Vinod Chopra Films banner.

Salman Khan

During investigations stemming from an alleged poaching incident near Jodhpur, Khan also faced a case under India’s Arms Act; a Jodhpur court later acquitted him in that weapons matter, giving him the benefit of the doubt when prosecutors could not establish illegal possession or use. As a lead in ‘Dabangg’, Khan portrays an irreverent Uttar Pradesh police officer navigating corruption and family tensions; the action-comedy is directed by Abhinav Singh Kashyap, produced under Arbaaz Khan Productions with Shree Ashtavinayak, and co-stars Sonakshi Sinha and Sonu Sood, with songs by Sajid–Wajid and Lalit Pandit.

‘Dabangg’ follows Chulbul Pandey’s turf wars and romance, backed by Mahesh Limaye’s cinematography and Pranav V. Dhiwar’s editing, and it became a franchise launcher with its item number ‘Munni Badnaam Hui’ and a slate of domestic awards for popular entertainment.

Dennis Farina

Farina was arrested at LAX after security found a loaded handgun in his briefcase; he later pleaded no contest to bringing a weapon into a secure airport area and received probation and fines, while other counts were dismissed under the plea. He memorably played Ray “Bones” Barboni in ‘Get Shorty’, Barry Sonnenfeld’s Elmore Leonard adaptation starring John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Delroy Lindo, James Gandolfini, and Danny DeVito; producers included Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, and Stacey Sher for Jersey Films.

‘Get Shorty’ tracks a Miami loan shark who drifts into Hollywood development; credits include a John Lurie score, Donald Peterman as cinematographer, and casting by David Rubin and Debra Zane, with MGM distribution—a clean correction to common mix-ups about its production pedigree.

Jason Mitchell

In Gulfport, Mississippi, deputies said a search during a traffic stop turned up packaged marijuana, roughly 1,300 MDMA dosage units, and two firearms, leading to multiple felony counts including possession with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a felon; authorities identified the guns as an AK-47 and a Glock 9mm with extended magazines. Mitchell’s breakout performance came in ‘Straight Outta Compton’, F. Gary Gray’s biographical drama about N.W.A’s rise; the film stars O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, and Mitchell as Eazy-E, with a script by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff and cinematography by Matthew Libatique.

‘Straight Outta Compton’ charts the group’s conflicts with management and law enforcement amid a turbulent music scene, with Joseph Trapanese’s score, editing by Billy Fox and Michael Tronick, and Universal Pictures handling distribution; the ensemble also features Paul Giamatti and Neil Brown Jr. in key roles.

David Henrie

Henrie was arrested at LAX after TSA spotted a loaded 9mm in his carry-on; prosecutors filed three misdemeanor counts—carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, and possessing a weapon in a sterile airport area—and records reflect a later no-contest plea resulting in probation. He’s best known for Disney Channel’s ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’, created by Todd J. Greenwald, which follows siblings Alex, Justin, and Max Russo training as wizards; the main cast includes Selena Gomez, Jake T. Austin, Jennifer Stone, Maria Canals-Barrera, and David DeLuise.

In the series, Justin (played by Henrie) serves as the studious counterpoint to Alex’s impulsive magic, with multi-camera staging and a family-competition premise that culminates in a contest for the family’s powers; It’s a Laugh Productions produced the show, with episodes running roughly twenty-two minutes.

Share your take: which cases or film roles surprised you most—drop your thoughts in the comments.