TLC’s popular 90 Day Fiance franchise has been around for more than eight years. The international relationship series has launched multiple spin-offs featuring more than 100 couples hoping that love will overcome distance and cultural differences. Each of the couples have friends and family, vastly expanding the number of characters in the 90 Day Fiance universe.
Among the hundreds of characters featured on the various 90 Day Fiance shows over the years, there have been numerous arrests and convictions. Starcasm has covered most all of the criminal activities of those associated with the franchise over the years, and we’ve compiled a list of some of the worst offenders.
The list is based on crimes committed and/or convictions that occurred after the person appeared on the show. That means the pre-show crimes of folks like Paul Staehle, Molly Hopkins, Josh Batterson, Jon Walters, and the entire Potthast family were not eligible to make the list.
To avoid any unnecessary controversy or heated debate, we will not be ranking the entries. Instead, they are arranged chronologically based on when the person first appeared on TLC.
Jorge Nava
I am the first person to champion the legalization of marijuana, and I also believe it’s ridiculous that people are being arrested and serving time for having a little bit of weed. However, being caught transporting 300 POUNDS of marijuana in a state where it is still illegal makes a conviction and potential time behind bars more justifiable.
That’s exactly what happened to 90 Day Fiance Season 4 star Jorge Nava. In February of 2018, Jorge was traveling east on Interstate 40 when he was pulled over for a traffic stop. Police searched his vehicle and found 293 pounds of high-grade marijuana.
Jorge Nava pleaded guilty to felony attempted transportation of marijuana in July of 2018. In September of 2018, Jorge was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison. He was also fined $20,000. Making matters worse for Jorge, he and his wife Anfisa Nava split up after he went away.
While seemingly at rock bottom, Jorge’s time in prison appears to have had an incredibly positive impact on his life. He lost a lot of weight while incarcerated, and he entered into a serious relationship with another woman soon after his release in May of 2020.
Jorge and his girlfriend Rhoda have since welcomed two children together! Their daughter Zara just turned one and their baby boy George was born in March of this year.
Scottie Deem
Angela Deem’s daughter Scottie Deem was featured prominently when Angela made her TLC debut on 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days Season 2. Scottie was the person most often in scenes with Angela before Angela flew to Nigeria to meet Michael. Prior to their time on TLC, Angela and Scottie also made multiple appearances on Maury.
Unfortunately for Scottie, her first season of Before the 90 Days will likely be her last. She was arrested in September of 2017 and charged with aggravated child molestation and aggravated sodomy after she allegedly had sexual relations with a juvenile at her house. Scottie posted her $38,700 bond on September 28, 2017 and was released.
Angela’s daughter remained free until September 12, 2018. On that day, Scottie was indicted on one count of aggravated child molestation, 11 counts of child molestation, and one count of statutory rape.
35-year-old Scottie Deem pleaded guilty to three counts of child molestation and was sentenced to three concurrent 20-year sentences in early 2019.
It was later reported that Scottie would only be serving 2 years of her 20-year sentence. Amazingly, Scottie was released on parole in May of 2020 after serving just one year and three months.
Before the 90 Days Season 2 premiered in August of 2018. It’s unclear when Scottie’s segments were filmed and whether or not it was after she was initially arrested.
Michael Baltimore
90 Day Fiance and Happily Ever After star Ashley Martin’s husband Jay Smith filmed numerous scenes at his favorite barber shop with his barber friends Michael Baltimore and Kendell Cook. Fans will likely recall the scenes in which Michael and Kendell revealed to Ashley that Jay hooked up with another woman in the barbershop bathroom.
In May of 2021, Kendell was shot and killed at the GQ Barbershop featured on the show. Multiple eye witnesses identified Michael Baltimore as the shooter.
Michael Baltimore is still at large and wanted by police. A U.S. Marshals Service press release in January revealed that there were rewards totaling $12,000 for information leading to Michael’s capture.
Here’s an excerpt letting you know who to contact if you know anything about Michael Baltimore’s whereabouts:
Baltimore has an extensive criminal history and is known to be violent. He should be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.
Anyone with information on Baltimore’s location is urged to contact law enforcement. You can call the Carlisle Police Department at (717) 243-5252. Anonymous tips may also be submitted via the U.S. Marshals Tip App, and tips may also be sent to Cumberland County Crime Stoppers at contact@cumberlandcrimestoppers.net or 1 (855) 628-8477.
Larissa dos Santos Lima
The 90 Day Fiance franchise has numerous cast members who’ve had domestic violence arrests, some of which happened after the person appeared on TLC. However, none of them can compare to Colt Johnson’s ex-wife Larissa dos Santos Lima, who was arrested for domestic violence on three separate occasions after making her TLC debut as part of 90 Day Fiance Season 6.
Larissa was first booked for domestic battery on June 19, 2018, which was just five days before she married Colt. This first arrest went under the media’s radar and wasn’t reported on until Larissa was booked again roughly five months later.
On November 10, 2018, Larissa was booked into the Clark County Jail in Las Vegas on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge for the second time. This arrest did not go unnoticed thanks to the fact that Larissa posted a series of photos and videos on social media just prior to her arrest revealing that she and Colt had a serious fight.
Larissa and Colt got into another altercation that turned bloody in January of 2019. Larissa was arrested on January 11 and was charged with domestic battery for the third time.
Larissa’s first two charges were dismissed or denied, but she wasn’t quite as lucky with the third. On a positive note, Larissa’s “DUI DOCTOR” attorney had the domestic battery charge dropped to disorderly conduct, which was a huge win in regards to her being able to remain in the United States.
Larissa was given a suspended sentence along with 48 hours of community service, 6 months of weekly domestic violence counseling classes, and a $345 fine. She was never deported and is currently living in Las Vegas again.
Douglas Wooten
This list heads back to Hazlehurst, Georgia thanks to another criminal who appeared alongside 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days and Happily Ever After star Angela Deem.
Angela was considering a local venue called The Cotton Patch as a location for her and Michael’s wedding during the third season of Before the 90 Days. Douglas “DJ Doug” Wooten was the venue coordinator, and he quickly became a viral sensation after delivering numerous memorable quotes in response to Angela’s questions.
Unfortunately for Doug, he later made headlines again after he was arrested for the murder of a 54-year-old Georgia man.
According to the indictment, Doug and three other people participated in the invasion of a house owned by a woman named Brittany Martinez on January 4, 2021. During the course of the home invasion, 54-year-old Marcos Ramirez was shot and killed.
Doug was charged with 3 counts of felony murder (an explanation is included in the post linked below for why there are three counts despite there being only one death), armed robbery, home invasion, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Douglas Wooten pleaded guilty to felony murder on May 2. As part of the plea deal, all of the other charges were changed to nolle prosequi, which means the DA agreed to not prosecute those charges.
40-year-old Doug was given a life sentence on the same day that his plea was entered. He is eligible for parole, but not for a long time. According to the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, a person receiving a life sentence for felony murder is eligible for parole after serving 30 years.
Doug has been credited with time served beginning on January 7 of 2021. That would mean that he will become eligible for parole in January of 2051.
Geoffrey Paschel
Part of Geoffrey Paschel’s story line during the fourth season of 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days was his extensive criminal record. Geoffrey claimed on screen that his legal troubles were far in his past, but he had numerous arrests in the years leading up to his TLC debut, including a domestic violence arrest just a few months before filming!
Geoffrey brutally beat his American fiancée, Kristen Wilson, during an altercation in June of 2019. Soon after his arrest, Geoffrey began filming for Before the 90 Days.
We were the first site to report on Geoffrey’s domestic violence arrest, as well as multiple accusations of rape and sexual abuse by his ex-wives. Those stories were published well before Geoffrey’s season of Before the 90 Days premiered, yet TLC decided to not remove Geoffrey’s segments from the show.
Geoffrey went to trial in October of 2021 and was found guilty of aggravated kidnapping, domestic assault, and interference with an emergency call. In February, Geoffrey was sentenced to 18 years in prison with no chance of parole.
During the sentencing, the judge in the case called Geoffrey’s treatment of women “sick” and “sadistic.” “It goes beyond the desire to inflict physical harm on these women,” Judge Kyle Hixson stated. “It speaks of a deep psychological issue, I think, that Mr. Paschel has a desire to inflict as much emotional damage to these women as possible.”
Geoffrey has a filed a motion for a new trial with a hearing scheduled for August 24. If his motion is denied, Geoffrey and his attorney have previously stated that they plan to appeal.
Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com
