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'Pawn Stars' Chumlee takes deal to avoid jail

LAS VEGAS — One of the stars of the reality TV show “Pawn Stars” told a judge on Monday he’s taking a plea deal that would spare him jail time in a case stemming from the discovery of guns, marijuana and other drugs at his Las Vegas home.

Austin Lee Russell, who is known as “Chumlee” to viewers, said he’ll plead guilty to a felony weapon charge and a misdemeanor attempted drug possession count in an agreement that will get him counseling and three years’ probation.

If he stays out of trouble until 2019, the felony charge would be dismissed and Russell would be left with only a misdemeanor conviction on his record.

If he doesn’t, he’ll face two to five years in state prison on the weapon possession charge.

An official with A&E Network and the History Channel said “Pawn Stars” is not currently in production and there has been no change in Russell’s status on the show.

Russell, 33, was arrested March 9 after police serving a warrant in a sex assault case found a small arsenal of weapons, a gallon plastic bag of pot, anxiety medication and a small amount of methamphetamine at his home.

Russell wasn’t arrested on a sex crime allegation, and no charge was filed in that case. The type of counseling Russell will undergo wasn’t specified.

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