The latest season of “The Bachelorette” introduced viewers to Devin Strader, who ultimately won the heart of lead Jenn Tran. However, it has come to light that seven years prior to his appearance on the show, Strader was arrested for a felony count of “simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling.”
RealitySteve, a prominent source for Bachelor Nation news, recently shared details from an affidavit related to Strader’s arrest warrant. The affidavit, filed by an unnamed ex-girlfriend in 2017, alleged that Strader broke into her home while she was away and stole a diamond necklace he had given her. Additionally, the ex-girlfriend claimed that Strader had exhibited aggressive behavior by showing up at her house uninvited, banging on the door, and shouting at her. She eventually filed a restraining order against him, citing disturbing incidents such as Strader setting fire to the restraining order and flattening her car tire.
While Strader has not responded to requests for comment on these allegations, Entertainment Weekly uncovered further details from the sealed restraining order. The ex-girlfriend accused Strader of spitting on her and throwing a drink at her during a public event, as well as putting her in a chokehold and covering her mouth.
Following his arrest for burglary, Strader pleaded guilty to lesser charges and received one year of unsupervised probation. The show’s production company, Warner Bros., and ABC declined to comment on their vetting process for contestants. However, a source close to production emphasized their commitment to ensuring the safety of all participants.
The incident involving Strader raises questions about the thoroughness of background checks on reality TV contestants. Past seasons of “The Bachelorette” have also faced scrutiny over contestants with criminal histories, such as Lincoln Adim, who was arrested for assault and battery prior to appearing on the show.
Despite winning Tran’s heart on the show and briefly getting engaged to her, Strader ended the relationship shortly after the finale aired. Tran revealed on the after-show that Strader had a change of heart, prompting him to defend himself in a now-deleted Instagram video. Tran is set to make her debut on the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars.”
The unfolding events surrounding Devin Strader’s past and his journey on “The Bachelorette” highlight the complexities and challenges of reality TV dating shows. As the spotlight shines on these contestants, their actions both on and off-screen are subject to public scrutiny and debate.
