Reggaeton artist and songwriter Jhayco was arrested early Tuesday in Miami-Dade County on drug charges, according to jail records.
The 32-year-old Puerto Rican performer, born Jesús Manuel Nieves Cortés, was allegedly behind the wheel of a red Corvette traveling at just 5 mph on Southwest 8th Street shortly before 3 a.m., an arrest report states. Authorities said the vehicle stopped completely and remained motionless for more than a minute before being pulled over.
A deputy reported smelling “the strong odor of cannabis” and noticing “white powder” on Nieves Cortés’ pants and nose. He allegedly could not produce a driver’s license, and a records check did not locate one under his name.
A search of the car turned up two black pouches containing about 7 grams of suspected cannabis each, police said. Officers also allegedly found three small baggies of suspected cocaine, totaling about 2 grams, in his pockets.
Nieves Cortés was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 4:24 a.m. and charged with possession of cocaine and possession of 20 grams or less of cannabis. His bond was set at $3,000.
Known for hits like “No Me Conoce – Remix,” “DÁKITI” and “CÓMO SE SIENTE” — including collaborations with Bad Bunny — Jhayco first gained fame under the stage name Jhay Cortez. His 2019 debut album Famouz reached number five on the Top Latin Albums chart, according to Spotify.
