Rapper Lil' Wayne reported in jail here

Rapper Lil Wayne was released from the Yuma County jail Wednesday and is scheduled to find out Friday whether he will face drug charges after his arrest at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Dateland.

A search by patrol agents of his bus late Tuesday night turned up nearly four ounces of marijuana, just over an ounce of cocaine, 41 grams of Ecstacy and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia, said Ramona Sanchez, spokeswoman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., 25, of Miami, was booked into the Yuma County jail on suspicion of possession of dangerous drugs, possession of narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Yuma County Sheriff's spokesman Capt. Eben Bratcher said.

Two unidentified members of Wayne's group also were arrested on possession of marijuana charges after the search of the charter bus carrying the group about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sanchez said.

Carter appeared via video arraignment late Wednesday morning in a Justice Court session in Wellton, 35 miles east of Yuma. His bond was set at $10,185, and he was released from jail about 2 p.m. Wednesday after making bail.

Carter signed autographs for a group of fans outside McCurley Bail Bonds after his release from jail.

His next court date is scheduled for Friday in Wellton Justice Court.

"We will find out by Jan. 25 whether or not the (Yuma) county attorney will file charges or not," said James Tilson, a Yuma attorney retained by Carter. "He is looking forward to his day in court. That's all I can say right now."

Sanchez said Carter's bus was stopped at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Border Patrol checkpoint near Dateland, 78 miles east of Yuma.

She said a Border Patrol canine alerted agents to the presence of illegal drugs on the bus, prompting the search that turned up the drugs.

Also found was a .40-caliber pistol registered to Carter, who has a concealed weapons permit in Florida. Authorities are looking into whether he violated any weapons laws in Arizona.

Carter, who was traveling with 11 others, was heading east, likely coming from California.

In October, Carter and several other rappers were named in a federal lawsuit filed by music publishing companies, accusing them of sampling other artists' songs without paying licensing fees.

Rapper Birdman and Lil Wayne won a viewers' choice award for their song "Stuntin' Like My Daddy" at Black Entertainment Television's 2007 Hip-Hop Awards.

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Sun staff members James Gilbert and John Vaughn contributed to this report.