The following article contains mentions of domestic violence.
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro was arrested for domestic violence on April 20, according to TMZ. The “Jersey Shore” star was taken into custody on felony charges following some sort of dispute with his girlfriend Saffire Matos, which was confirmed in a later report by TMZ. “We have just learned of the new allegations against Ronnie and need some additional time to further investigate. As such, we will not be making any other statements at this time,” Ronnie’s attorney, Scott Leemon, told TMZ following the arrest.
Ronnie was previously arrested for domestic violence following an argument with his ex, Jenn Harley, back in 2019. According to Us Weekly, he was charged with “seven misdemeanors, including domestic violence, child endangerment, brandishing a weapon, criminal threats, false imprisonment and two counts of resisting arrest.” At the time, Ronnie pled no contest to one count of domestic battery and one count of resisting arrest, which kept him out of jail, according to TMZ. Instead, Ronnie was put on probation for 36 months probation, and ordered to complete 30 days of community service. The outlet also reported that Ronnie was also ordered to pay a fine — to the tune of $20,000 to a battered women’s shelter in Los Angeles.
While Ronnie may not get off easy when it comes to his most recent arrest, he was able to avoid felony charges. Keep reading to find out why Ronnie’s charges were reduced.
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's fate is unclear despite the lessened charges
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro will not be charged with a felony in his April 20 domestic violence case because the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office “determined it didn’t have sufficient evidence, according to TMZ. The outlet maintains that Ronnie could still be in serious trouble since he was arrested while still on probation. “If this reporting is true, as we said from the beginning, initial reports and unreviewed charges are often and, in Ronnie’s case, wrong. We are glad the DA’s office made this decision not to charge a felony. We will await a decision from the County Attorney’s office,” Ronnie’s attorney told TMZ.
The current status of Ronnie’s relationship with Saffire Matos is unclear. Shortly after his arrest, she took to her Instagram Stories to let fans know that she and Ronnie were “fine,” and that people shouldn’t believe “everything [they] hear,” according to Us Weekly. However, she has not posted anything related since. At the time of this writing, Ronnie had not spoken out about the arrest or about his relationship. It is unclear if he faces jail time.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
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