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Singer Chris Brown has managed to intrigue -- and infuriate -- the public since he first burst onto the scene in 2005. Here's a look at his life and career.

Brown poses with his award for Best New Artist at the Soul Train Music Awards in March 2006. That year, Brown also won male artist of the year, new artist of the year and artist of the year at the Billboard Music Awards.

Brown, left, appeared with "Scandal" star Columbus Short in the 2007 film "Stomp the Yard."

Brown started dating fellow singer Rihanna in 2008, and the pair appeared to be the perfect match. Here, they dance the night away in December of that year. A few months later, Brown was charged with assaulting her on the eve of the Grammy Awards.

In April 2009, Brown pleads not guilty to felony charges of assault and making threats related to the Rihanna incident.

Rihanna and attorney Donald Etra appear at a preliminary hearing in June 2009. The hearing was to determine if Brown would stand trial for allegedly attacking Rihanna during an argument in a rented sports car.

As part of a plea deal in June 2009, Brown pleads guilty to one felony count of assault with the intent of doing great bodily injury. Under terms of the agreement, Brown is given five years of probation and ordered to serve 180 days in jail or the equivalent in labor-oriented community service.

Brown and his mother appear on CNN's "Larry King Live" on September 2, 2009. It was his first television interview since his arrest. "I've said countless times how sorry I am to Rihanna, and I just accepted full responsibility," Brown said. "But it's just one of those things I wish I could have relived and just handled totally different."

In June 2010, Brown broke down in tears during his performance of "Man in the Mirror" at the BET Awards in Los Angeles.

"Takers," an action drama co-starring Brown, premiered in August 2010.

In 2011, Brown's album "F.A.M.E." debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Here, he performs that summer on NBC's "Today" show.

In February 2012, Brown's career appeared to be on an upswing following his legal woes. "F.A.M.E." won a Grammy for Best R&B Album.

In March 2011, Brown reportedly stormed off the set of ABC's "Good Morning America" after he was interviewed by Robin Roberts. He later apologized.

Brown performs during the Billboard Music Awards in May 2012.

Brown and rapper Drake, seen here in 2010, reportedly got into an altercation at the New York City club W.i.P. in June 2012. Brown was left with a cut on his chin.

Brown appears in court for a probation progress report hearing in September 2012. A judge ordered a probation violation hearing after Brown tested positive for marijuana use.

Brown appears in court for a probation progress report hearing in February 2013. In a court filing, prosecutors accused Brown of not completing the 180 days of community labor as stipulated from his 2009 felony assault case.

During a court appearance in July, a judge revoked Brown's probation. The revocation was triggered after Brown allegedly sped away from the scene of a minor traffic crash in May, failing to hand over his driver's license and insurance information to another driver.

Brown's attorney, Mark Geragos, speaks to the press after a judge dropped a hit-and-run charge against Brown in August. The singer reached a "civil compromise" with his accuser.

A judge also reinstated Brown's probation in August, signing off on 1,000 hours of "community labor" such as graffiti or beach cleanup. Two months later, Brown and a bodyguard were arrested and charged with felony assault after allegedly attacking a man with their fists outside the W Hotel in downtown Washington.

Brown, center, departs the H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse in Washington on Monday, October 28. The assault charge against the singer was reduced to a misdemeanor and he was released without bail.

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Los Angeles (CNN) -- Chris Brown is reaching into Lindsay Lohan's playbook for avoiding jail: Go to rehab before your court date.

The singer's arrest Sunday on an assault charge put him on a path toward a possible prison sentence, but he will be in a rehabilitation facility as his next court date approaches.

"Chris Brown has elected to enter a rehab facility," said a statement Tuesday night from his representative. "His goal is to gain focus and insight into his past and recent behavior, enabling him to continue the pursuit of his life and his career from a healthier vantage point."

There has been no indication that Brown, 24, has a substance abuse problem. The behavior that has landed him in legal trouble over the past several years has been anger management.

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Brown's brutal attack on former girlfriend Rihanna on the eve of the Grammys in February 2009 resulted in a felony domestic violence conviction that carried a lengthy probation period. A judge found him in violation of that probation in August because of discrepancies in proving he fulfilled the court-ordered 1,400 hours of community labor. He imposed another 1,000 hours of work.

The Los Angeles County district attorney appears in no mood to cut Brown any breaks, which suggests that prosecutors will ask for jail time for him because of the arrest early Sunday in the shadow of the White House. While the simple assault charge in Washington is a misdemeanor, it could trigger a probation revocation.

Brown is in a vulnerable position. The Los Angeles judge overseeing his felony probation could order him to complete as many as four years in prison for the beating of Rihanna if he is found in violation of probation.

Brown is due in a Los Angeles court on November 20 for a probation status hearing. Prosecutors have declined to comment on if they will seek to put him behind bars.

The U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia charged Brown and his bodyguard with simple assault for a brawl over the weekend in which a 20-year-old Maryland man suffered a broken nose. Brown spent 36 hours in a Washington jail and was taken to court in shackles Monday afternoon. He was released and ordered to report to his California probation officer within 48 hours.

The probation officer's job is to prepare a report for the Los Angeles judge who will decide if Brown will be found in violation of his probation.

Going to rehab -- as his rep said "to gain focus and insight into his past and recent behavior" -- could allow Brown lawyer Mark Geragos to argue that the entertainer is getting proper help for his core problem.

The statement from Brown's rep did not disclose where the singer is going for rehab, how long he intends to stay, or what might be a "healthier vantage point" for him.

CNN's Carolyn Sung contributed to this report.