A felony vandalism charge against Justin Bieber's rapper pal Lil Za has been reduced to a misdemeanour.

The aspiring hip-hop star, real name Xavier Smith, was taken into custody by police in January (14) following a raid on Bieber's Calabasas, California mansion, where a bag of drugs allegedly belonging to Za was found.

He was arrested for a second time hours later for breaking a telephone at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's jail, where he was being held shortly before posting bail, and he was subsequently slapped with two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, for Mdma (a form of ecstasy) and prescription painkiller oxycodone, and a third felony for the phone incident.

However, according to Tmz.com, cops have since agreed to reduce the latter charge to a misdemeanour as the phone was worth less than $400 (£250).

Editors also claim Za will avoid prison time if convicted for the drug allegations - prosecutors are likely to offer him a deal, in which he would plead guilty to possession in exchange for enrolment in a drug education course. If he manages to stay out of trouble for a year, the crime will reportedly be wiped from his record.

Bieber's house was targeted by cops as part of their ongoing investigation into an egging incident involving the pop superstar earlier this year (14).