Payne faced charges for filing a false report and for refusing to provide identification, both of which are misdemeanors.
Former Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne was arrested early Friday morning in Scottsdale and charged with refusing to identify himself and making a false report to law enforcement. The Scottsdale Police Department confirmed the arrest to Phoenix New Times.
Police stated that officers responded to a disturbance near 68th Street and Chaparral Road at approximately 2:44 a.m. on June 14. Upon arrival, they contacted two individuals, one of whom was later identified as Payne.
Payne refused to provide his name to the officers, which is classified as a class 2 misdemeanor under state law. ARS 13-2412 mandates that a person detained under reasonable suspicion of committing a crime must “state the person’s true full name, but shall not be compelled to answer any other inquiry of a peace officer.”
Additionally, Payne was charged with making a “fraudulent or unfounded report or statement or knowingly misrepresenting a fact for the purpose of interfering with the orderly operation of law enforcement,” which is a class 1 misdemeanor.
Police reported that Payne was booked into the city jail and later released on his own recognizance. No further details about the encounter were shared by the police.
Payne played four seasons with the Suns, primarily serving as the backup to former Suns point guard Chris Paul. He was a key contributor to the team that reached the NBA Finals in 2021. After the 2022-23 season, Payne left the Suns and spent the past season with both the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.
