At 18, Charles first tried marijuana when he played in Maxin Trio and was eager to try them as he thought they helped musicians create music and tap into their creativity. Unfortunately he later became addicted to heroin for seventeen years. Charles was first arrested in when he and his bandmates were caught backstage with loose marijuana and drug paraphernalia, including a burnt spoon, syringe, and needle. The arrest did not deter his drug use, which only escalated as he became more successful and made more money. The case was dismissed because of the manner in which the evidence was obtained, but Charles’s situation did not improve until a few years later.