Jenelle Eason’s ex Nathan Griffith has been arrested in Las Vegas for battery by strangulation. This is the second time the former Teen Mom 2 star has been arrested for battery by strangulation this year.
Clark County jail records indicate Nathan was arrested earlier today, but TMZ reports he was arrested last night.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ … Vegas cops received a call around 9:15 PM and responded to a home where Nathan was staying. After conducting an investigation, officers placed Griffith in handcuffs for allegedly committing the battery against a family member.
The battery charge is a category C felony in Nevada. TMZ mentions “battery against a family member,” which I assume would mean Nathan was charged with domestic battery by strangulation. However, the court docket entry lists the charge as battery by strangulation without the domestic qualifier.
According to shouselaw.com, the crime of domestic battery by strangulation is defined as choking a current or former dating partner, spouse, child, or blood relative (not including siblings or cousins).”
There are reports that Nathan may have been living in Las Vegas with family. When Nathan was arrested for allegedly strangling his girlfriend Victoria in Florida in February, the arrest report indicated that he had called his brother-in-law William in Las Vegas.
If the alleged victim of Nathan’s latest violent outburst was an in-law that Nathan was living with, then it wouldn’t be classified as domestic — according to the definition above.
Regardless, the different battery by strangulation charges carry the same potential sentences. If convicted, Nathan is facing one to five years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Nathan was scheduled for his initial appearance in court earlier today. He is still listed as being in the custody of the Clark County Detention Center with bail set at $5,000.
#TeenMom2 According to the probable cause affidavit, the alleged victim in the Nathan Griffith domestic battery by strangulation case is his new girlfriend Victoria, not his wife Mayra. Read the full (disturbing) narrative from the officer on the scene. https://t.co/eSOv0XOk8W
— Starcasm (@starcasm) February 28, 2023
Nathan Griffith’s previous strangulation arrest
In August of last year, Nathan Griffith posted on social media that he and his wife, Mayra Oyoloa, had split up. He stated that he was living in his car and that he had been diagnosed with liver cancer.
Roughly a month later, Nathan returned to social media and revealed that he and his wife were seemingly back together. However, their reconciliation was short lived.
Nathan was booked into Palm Beach County’s Main Detention Center on Friday, February 24. He was charged with a felony count of battery — domestic battery by strangulation after an alleged altercation with his new girlfriend named Victoria.
State prosecutors eventually declined to prosecute the case. From our previous article:
According to court records, the felony charge of domestic battery by strangulation against Nathan was dropped on March 9. The only reason listed on the “No File” form was “victim uncooperative.” I assume this means the alleged victim in the case, Nathan’s girlfriend Victoria, was not willing to work with prosecutors.
It’s unclear if the case could be re-opened if the alleged victim has a change of heart about working with prosectors.
Below is a recap of the police report from the incident that resulted in Nathan’s arrest. (You can click here for the full narrative from the report.)
Nathan called his brother-in-law William, who lives in Las Vegas, and allegedly told him during a video call that he had “lost it” and choked his girlfriend Victoria. “William claimed Nathan stated he drug her up the stairs,” the affidavit reads. “Nathan then hung up the phone, and wasn’t answering. William texted Victoria if she was OK, who replied, ‘no.’”
William called Delray Police and reported the incident. Police arrived on the scene and described Nathan as “uncooperative.”
Nathan said he and Victoria had just had sex and she was fine. He also told police that William “is on drugs and is not a reliable source of information.”
Nathan had scratches on his neck and back, and when police spoke with Victoria she appeared to have recently been crying. Initially, Victoria was reluctant to say anything about the altercation, but she later stated that Nathan had been physically aggressive with her, and at some point she “blacked out.”
The officer on the scene observed “approximately inch thick bruising starting to appear on her neck (all the way around)” and “bruising under her jaw line consistent with being strangled and someone pressing their thumbs inward to add pressure.”
At one point, Victoria shouted to the officers: “I’m 100 some pounds and he’s 250 how in the hell am I supposed to get him off of me.”
The probable cause affidavit states that officers were called to the same address a couple hours earlier for a “domestic disturbance.” The filing does not include any information about the prior incident, other than the claim that “Victoria did not have any bruising around the neck area” at that time.
The affidavit does acknowledge that Nathan has a prior history of domestic violence. Under “Alcohol and Drugs Involved,” the officer checked the box for “Yes.”
Nathan was released on Saturday, the day after his arrest. There was a no contact order in place stating that Nathan could have no contact with Victoria until the case was closed, or until there was another court ruling allowing contact.
“The Defendant may return to the residence where the above-listed person(s) resides for the purpose of removing the Defendant’s PERSONAL EFFECTS ONLY,” the order read. “And then only in the presence of a uniformed law enforcement officer and on ONE occasion only.”
Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com
