The rapper Desiigner was charged on Monday with one federal count of indecent exposure on an aircraft after authorities say he masturbated on a flight from Tokyo to Minneapolis.

The misdemeanour filed against the rapper, whose real name is Sidney Royel Selby III, is punishable by no more than 90 days of imprisonment and a US$500 (NZ$810) fine.

The charges came just days after he announced in a tweet Thursday that he was “ashamed” about what happened on the plane, that he was admitting himself to a facility to get help and was cancelling all his shows.

“Mental health,” he wrote, “is real guys.” No attorney is listed for him in online court records.

The criminal complaint said a flight attendant first spotted Selby exposing himself about 60 to 90 minutes into the April 17 Delta flight. He covered himself, but five minutes later, two flight attendants spotted Selby masturbating. Again he was told “No” and covered himself, the complaint said.

The lead flight attendant then came to Selby’s first-class seat and said that he was going to be arrested. But a short time later, a flight attendant spotted Selby exposing himself a third time.

Selby then was moved to the back of the plane, where two travel companions agreed to monitor him. There, he told his security guard that he was “bugging,” had “messed up” and was “sorry,” the complaint said.

Selby apologised to the air crew at the end of the flight and then was detained.

When questioned by the FBI, Selby said he “didn’t get much” in Japan and found one of the flight attendants attractive so he exposed himself.

Selby said in his tweet that he had been admitted to a hospital while performing overseas and given meds. The complaint, however, said he told the FBI that he had not taken that medication before exposing himself. Asked whether he was under the influence, Selby said “no,” and the FBI agent who questioned him said he didn’t appear impaired.

In 2016, Selby was arrested after another driver claimed that he waved a handgun while exiting a tunnel connecting Manhattan and New Jersey. But the gun charge was dropped.

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-Associated Press