The ending of Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette was already a disaster. We watched her sit on that couch, eyes welling up, explaining how the guy she chose—the guy she proposed to—basically ghosted her emotionally the second the cameras stopped rolling. But then the internet did what it does best. It started digging. And what came up wasn't just typical reality TV "villain" behavior. It was a paper trail involving a 2017 arrest and a very serious legal situation. Honestly, the Devin Bachelorette restraining order saga is a lot more complicated (and darker) than the snippets you probably saw on TikTok.
The 2017 Incident That ABC Missed
Let’s look at the facts. In March 2017, long before he was vying for a final rose, Devin Strader was living in Louisiana. According to court records unearthed by Reality Steve and later confirmed by outlets like Entertainment Weekly, an ex-girlfriend filed a Petition for Protection From Abuse against him.
The details are pretty harrowing. She alleged that Strader had been physically and mentally abusive. In her handwritten affidavit, she claimed he once put her in a "chokehold" and covered her mouth. She also described an incident at a New Orleans Pelicans game where he allegedly spat on her and threw a drink at her in front of a crowd.
People were shocked. But the story didn't stop at just the filing.
The Burglary and the Fire
Wait, it gets weirder. Just days before that restraining order was filed, the same ex-girlfriend told police she came home to find her apartment ransacked. The only thing missing? A diamond necklace Strader had previously given her.
According to the arrest warrant:
- Strader allegedly banged on her door and screamed at her repeatedly.
- He allegedly set the restraining order on fire in the street outside her home.
- He was accused of laughing at her while she dealt with a flattened tire on her car.
Eventually, Strader was arrested on a felony count of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling. He ultimately pleaded guilty to lesser charges: misdemeanor criminal trespass and simple criminal damage to property. He got one year of unsupervised probation.
Did He Actually Have a Restraining Order?
This is where it gets into "he said, she said" territory, though the court documents tell a specific story. After the news broke, Devin posted a (now-deleted) 13-minute video on Instagram. He tried to claim the restraining order was "never granted" and was "fully dismissed."
He basically said it was a low point in his life and that they eventually reconciled.
But here’s the reality: A judge did sign a temporary restraining order (TRO) on March 22, 2017. There was also an extension granted in April. While the ex-girlfriend eventually chose to dismiss the case—reportedly because she couldn't afford a private attorney and had "made a mistake" by contacting him during the process—the legal record of the filing and the temporary protection exists.
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You've got to wonder how a show with a supposedly "exhaustive" vetting process missed a felony arrest and a protective order. ABC and the production team later claimed these specific documents didn't show up in their background checks. It makes you wonder what else is slipping through the cracks.
Why the Devin Bachelorette Restraining Order Still Matters
This isn't just about old drama. It’s about the safety of the people on these shows. Jenn Tran was put in a position where she was "all in" on a person whose past included allegations of physical restraint and harassment.
When you look at the way he treated Jenn—the "love bombing" on screen followed by the cold, 15-minute phone call breakup—fans started seeing a pattern. It wasn't just that he "changed his mind." It felt, to many, like a specific type of emotional manipulation that mirrored the "mental abuse" mentioned in the 2017 court filings.
Actionable Takeaways for Reality TV Fans
If you’re following this story, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding how these shows work and how to process this kind of news:
- Vetting isn't foolproof. Background checks usually look for convictions, not always filings or sealed records. If a case is dismissed or a record is sealed (as some of Devin’s were reported to be), it might not pop up on a standard corporate screen.
- Believe the documentation. Statements on Instagram are curated. Court affidavits, while they represent one side of a story, are legal documents signed under penalty of perjury.
- Watch for the "red flags." The "I'm the only one who truly loves you" narrative that Devin pushed on the show is often cited by experts as a red flag for love bombing, which can sometimes precede more controlling behavior.
The fallout from Jenn’s season has led to a massive conversation about how Bachelor Nation handles contestant history. It’s clear that "I didn't know" isn't an acceptable excuse for producers anymore, especially when a blogger with a $25 background check service can find more than a multi-million dollar production team.
Keep an eye on future casting announcements. The pressure is on for the franchise to prove they actually care about the leads they claim to protect.
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To stay informed, you can look up public records in the jurisdiction where a contestant lives if you're ever suspicious, as many of these documents are accessible through parish or county clerk websites.