A contestant on ABC's The Bachelorette was convicted of indecent assault and battery on May 21, USA TODAY has confirmed.
Lincoln Adim, 26, who is still chasing after Becca Kufrin's heart on the current season of ABC's reality show, was charged after a 2016 incident involving an woman on a harbor cruise ship in Boston Harbor, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.
Adim was convicted one week before The Bachelorette returned.
"The judge ordered him to stay away from the victim and attend three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week during those two years," says a statement sent to USA TODAY by Jake Wark, a spokesman for the country's district attorney.
"If he complies with the judge’s orders, he will not have to serve out his term, but if he fails to comply with those orders or re-offends, he could be ordered to serve out the year behind bars," the statement continues. "By law, he is expected to register as a sex offender."
The question is how Adim slipped through ABC's system of background checks.
According to Bachelor Nation, the recent expose written by Los Angeles Times reporter Amy Kaufman, each contestant completes a 150-question personality test, is profiled by a psychologist, submits to medical testing (including STD screenings) and meets with a private investigator "trained to dig up any skeletons" in their closets.
It's the second hit the show has taken this season after fans rooted out offensive social media behavior by Garrett Yrigoyen, another contestant, who is viewed as a frontrunner this season. Yrigoyen has since apologized.
Warner Bros. TV, which produces The Bachelorette, said in a statement:
"No one on The Bachelorette production had any knowledge about the incident or charges when Lincoln Adim was cast, and he himself denied ever having engaged in or having been charged with any sexual misconduct."
The company said it employed "a well-respected" third party to do a nationwide background check in this case.
"The report we received did not reference any incident or charge relating to the recent conviction - or any other charges relating to sexual misconduct," the statement said. "We are currently investigating why the report did not contain this information, which we will share when we have it."
TV blogger Reality Steve was the first to break the news.
