Dancehall reggae veteran Eek-A-Mouse (AKA Ripton Joseph Hylton) was arrested on charges of rape, kidnapping, and possession of cocaine and marijuana in Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina. He was later released on bail.

The arrest occurred in the early morning hours of Sunday, August 17. Kill Devil Hill police Detective MK Moye reported to local newspapers that Ripton Hylton was charged with first degree kidnapping, second degree rape, and possession of marijuana and cocaine. Further details are being witheld pending investigation.

Another Kill Devil Hill police officer, Lieutenant Gene Johnson, has been quoted as stating that Eek-A-Mouse allegedly kidnapped a 23-year-old white woman and held her in an Outer Banks motel. The artiste had performed at a local venue on Saturday evening and left the venue around 130am on Sunday morning.

Although Eek-A-Mouse's bail was originally set at $52,000, the artiste was released from North Carolina's Dare County Detention Center on a reduced bail of $17,000. Rumors have surfaced that the female in question was a police informant, hinting at the possibility that Eek-A-Mouse was framed. He will have to return to North Carolina to stand trial but will continue his US tour in the meantime.

Eek-A-Mouse, named for his squeaky voice, first hit the charts with his 1980 single Wha Do Dem. He went on to release another hit single, Modelling Queen and has continued his career through a wide range of tours and a collaboration with Damian “Junior Gong” Marley.