30 Horrific Crimes by Television Stars

30 Horrific Crimes by Television Stars

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at notable small-screen figures who broke the law to a deeply disturbing degree.

Jon Hamm

The star of “Mad Men” captivated audiences with Don Draper’s quest to fraudulently reinvent himself. That’s not too different from the story of actor Jon Hamm. In 1990, he was among the Sigma Nu members at the University of Texas who were charged with excessively hazing Mark Allen Sanders. The fraternity pledge was severely beaten with a paddle, tortured and degraded. Hamm, an alleged ring leader, confessed to the assault and later transferred to his home state of Missouri. He has since been very open about his past struggles and mental health along his rise to being one of the most respected names in Peak TV. However, the torture incident remains a suspiciously sensitive topic for Hamm.

Jen Shah

“The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” fans fell in love with Jen Shah’s fiery personality in 2020. They would be far more disturbed by revelations of cruelty a few months later. Shah and her husband Sharrieff were charged with years of involvement in a telemarketing scam that stole a lot of money from targets. Many senior citizens lost their pensions. After Shah changed her not guilty plea to guilty, she was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison. Her husband, a lawyer, was let go. Shah remains a public figure from behind bars, but many have a hard time forgiving her devastating exploitation of vulnerable people. She is due for an early release in 2026.

Robert Blake

After a long film career, Robert Blake found a prolific second act on television. He’s best known as the star of the procedural “Baretta,” and for a real-life tragedy that sounds like one of his cases. Blake’s bitter marriage to Bonny Lee Bakley ended with her seemingly random murder in 2001. It was suspected that her husband hired someone to kill her. A jury acquitted Blake on one count of soliciting a former stuntman, and were deadlocked on another. However, a 2005 civil suit by Bakley’s children found Blake liable in their mother’s death. He himself felt he was lucky to end this ordeal with $30 million in restitution to the survivors. Blake was already long-retired, but the scandal haunts his would-be distinguished legacy.

Tim Allen

The wholesome image of sitcom veteran Tim Allen looks nothing like his life before stardom. In 1978, he was arrested at an airport for possession of enough cocaine for a trafficking charge. Facing a life sentence, he confessed to the charges and identified colleagues in a drug ring. Allen was so charismatic in his testimony that the judge supposedly said he could find a career in comedy. Sure enough, Allen left prison in 1981 to become an unlikely icon of family entertainment. Along the way, he’s had to deal with other scandals involving substance use disorder. The sober Allen has since been remarkably open about his improvement from a life of crime.

Shannon Richardson

Texas actress Shannon Richardson had small roles on big shows like “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Walking Dead.” Then she came to the forefront of the media in 2013. The pregnant Richardson reported that her estranged husband mailed letters laced with ricin to President Barack Obama, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the director of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns program. Police quickly discovered that the poisoned letters were real, but that the accuser sent them. Richardson later confessed and was sentenced to 18 years in prison for criminal threat in 2014. She finally got her starring role the following year, on an episode of Investigation Discovery’s “Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry?”.

Ash Armand

It's not like sex worker Akshaya Kubiak, better known as Ash Armand, gained fame on a strictly lawful brand through Showtime's “Gigolos.” But he gained more attention for a truly heinous act in 2020. The already controversial reality star was charged with bludgeoning his friend Herleen Dulai to death while under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms. He ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter and mayhem, and was sentenced to eight-to-20 years in prison. The tragedy was a far cry from the glamorous and zen brand that Armand built on “Gigolos.” It's certainly a cautionary tale for bohemian experiments getting carried away. Armand has since come under fire after being linked to Diddy’s “freak-off” parties.

Johnny Lewis

Real-life motorcycle enthusiast Johnny Lewis had a memorable stint on “Sons of Anarchy” after many small film and TV roles. His career was effectively ended in 2011 by a motorcycle accident that caused severe brain damage. The resulting mental illness, made worse by substance use disorder, ostensibly led to Lewis killing his elderly landlady Catherine Davis and her cat one year later. He then fell to his death from the victim’s roof. Authorities later determined that the 28-year-old Lewis killed Davis and ruled his own death an accident. The tragedy continues to haunt the young actor’s colleagues as a terrible end to a promising talent.

Jeffrey Jones

After a prolific career in film and television, character actor Jeffrey Jones saw a major professional decline after 2002. That may be too good with the scandal hanging over him. Jones was charged with paying a young boy to pose in explicit photos over the course of nine months. The actor pleaded no contest, with no charge of direct sexual contact with the victim. He was convicted of misdemeanor possession of illegal images and registered as a sex offender, later being arrested twice for failing to update his status. Jones has since managed to find steady work, including on the classic HBO Western “Deadwood.” Little by little, though, the court of public opinion has limited his tainted career.

Ryan Grantham

From 2007’s “The Secret of the Nutcracker” to a recurring role on the CW’s “Riverdale,” Ryan Grantham was a television darling from childhood. He also struggled with serious mental health issues. In 2020, the 21-year-old compulsively shot his mother Barbara Waite dead in their British Columbia home. He then prepared to travel to Ottawa to assassinate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Instead, Grantham surrendered to the police and later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was aromatically sentenced to life in prison, with eligibility for parole in 2036. Grantham has since been vocal about his remorse for taking his mother's life and destroying his own once-bright future.

Rolf Harris

A career in music and acting led to Rolf Harris becoming one of the biggest personalities in Australian and British TV. He was particularly beloved for hosting shows for children. Then, in 2012, British police launched Operation Yewtree after presenter Jimmy Savile was posthumously ousted as a serial predator. Harris was among the 19 alleged associates arrested. After years of allegations, he was convicted on 12 counts of indecent assault of four young girls and women. The career-ending scandal further disillusioned the public with talents they had been watching on the small screen all their lives. Harris died six years after being released from prison on license after a conviction with one victim was overturned. The other convictions were upheld.

Jussie Smollett

This man has enjoyed a long career in the entertainment industry, first appearing in “The Mighty Ducks” when he was just ten years old. But all that work flew out the window when he made up a hate crime. In late January 2019, news broke that Smollett was attacked outside of his Chicago apartment by two homophobic racists, quickly becoming a sympathetic victim in the national media. But that sympathy changed to hate when a police investigation found that Smollett had orchestrated the attack himself, having hired two brothers to pose as the assailants. The brothers claim that Smollett wanted to be a “poster child for activism.” Instead, he was ridiculed, fired from “Empire,” and sentenced to five months in county jail.

Adam Hicks

Known for playing the titular Luther Waffles on Disney’s “Zeke and Luther,” Adam Hicks has faced some significant legal issues in recent years. On January 25, 2018, Hicks and his girlfriend Danni Tamburro robbed a number of people at gunpoint in Burbank, including two women in their 70s. Both Hicks and Tamburro were eventually caught and arrested for armed robbery. Hicks pleaded no contest and was found guilty, receiving a sentence of five years in prison. Hicks’s career in television has been thoroughly dismantled, and you likely won’t see him on the small screen any time soon.

Orlando Brown

Another Disney actor who has fallen on hard times, Orlando Brown once entertained millions playing Eddie Thomas on “That’s So Raven.” Unfortunately, his life slowly spiraled, culminating in a very controversial 2016. The first incident occurred in February, when he struck his girlfriend in a police station parking lot in Torrance, California and was arrested for domestic battery and drug possession. A further domestic disturbance occurred the following March, and in September he broke into a Las Vegas restaurant owned by his friend Danny Boy. Things cooled down until 2022, when the now-homeless Brown was arrested in Ohio for domestic violence after threatening his brother with a hammer.

Jeremy Jackson

He might not be well-known today, but Jeremy Jackson was popular in the 1990s, playing Hobie Buchannon on “Baywatch.” Unfortunately, Jackson soon fell into heavy drug use and departed the show after 159 episodes. His career, and personal life, never truly recovered. In 2015, Jackson was kicked off “Celebrity Big Brother 15” after opening another houseguest’s dressing gown. He was cautioned by the police following the incident, but he wasn’t so lucky following another incident. Just a few months later, Jackson tried stealing a car in Los Angeles and stabbed the woman who intervened. Luckily, she was OK, and Jackson was sentenced to five years probation and 270 days in county jail.

Drake Bell

The winner of ten Kids’ Choice Awards, Drake Bell is a beacon of nostalgia, having starred as one half of the legendary “Drake & Josh.” But, like other child stars on this list, he has faced a number of significant legal issues. The worst occurred in 2021 when Bell was charged in Cleveland with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and attempted endangering children, the latter of which is a felony. The crimes relate to “inappropriate social media messages” that Bell shared with the underage girl and allegedly engaging in sexual chats. He pleaded guilty and was given two years of probation and 200 hours of community service.

Dimitri Diatchenko

He wasn’t a big star, but Dimitri Diatchenko found some success on television, appearing in shows like “Sons of Anarchy” and “How I Met Your Mother.” But his career fizzled just as it was getting hot owing to a horrible crime he allegedly committed in 2014. Diatchenko was living with his ex-girlfriend in Los Angeles at the time, who told him that she no longer wanted to be roommates. According to the distinct attorney, Diatchenko killed and ate her pet rabbit, all while sending her graphic photos of the entire process. And when she returned home, he told her that he would do the same to her. Diatchenko claims it was a hoax. He was given three years probation and sixty days of community labor.

Charles S. Dutton

The recipient of three Emmy awards, Charles S. Dutton is a prime example of someone turning their life around. Growing up in a rough area of Baltimore, Dutton’s life was upended in 1967 when he killed a man in a knife fight. According to Dutton, the killing was in self-defense, and he was given five years in prison for manslaughter. He was out after just twenty months but was soon re-sentenced on a handgun charge. He was given a further eight years after assaulting a prison guard, bringing his total sentence to eleven years. Luckily, he discovered the joy of drama while serving his time and later earned a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama, resulting in his Emmy-winning career on television.

Jerry Harris

2020 was an up and down year for Jerry Harris. He became a national star after appearing in the Netflix documentary “Cheer,” which chronicled the Navarro College Bulldogs Cheer Team from Texas. But the following September - just eight months after the series debuted - Harris was arrested by the FBI in Chicago for producing illicit material related to minors. According to Harris himself, he engaged in inappropriate behavior on Snapchat with a number of underage individuals, and he committed illegal physical activity on at least one occasion. Harris pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to twelve years in prison.

Lane Garrison

This actor got a major break after landing the role of David Apolskis, better known as Tweener, on the acclaimed Fox drama “Prison Break.” But he didn’t have long to enjoy his newfound success. In December of 2006 - about halfway through the show’s second season - Garrison came across three teenagers outside a liquor store. He went with them to a local high school party, and all four left the party in his vehicle. Garrison, who was both drunk and high at the time, crashed the car into a tree, killing one of the teens and injuring the other two. He was given over three years in jail. In the words of Garrison himself, “From ‘Prison Break’ to prison.”

Mark Salling

After attempting a career in music, the late Mark Salling found great success on “Glee,” playing resident bad boy Noah Puckerman. But as it turns out, Salling was actually much worse than his character. On December 29, 2015 - after the show had already concluded - Salling was arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of owning illicit material related to minors. The police were tipped off by one of his ex-girlfriends, and they found mountains of evidence on his computer. He accepted a plea deal and was expected to receive up to seven years in prison. However, Salling took his own life before sentencing could occur.

Allison Mack

The story of Allison Mack is a wild one, indeed. She rose to fame in the 2000s playing Chloe Sullivan on “Smallville.” But aside from a brief stint on “Wilfred” and a few guest shots, Mack just sort of disappeared after the show ended in 2011. As it turns out, she had become involved in a New York cult called NXIVM and was quite a high-ranking member. Parts of her role involved trafficking women for founder Keith Raniere, engaging in various forms of corporal punishment, and physically branding recruits. It all ended in 2018 when Mack was arrested by the FBI in Brooklyn on charges of human trafficking and forced labor. She pled guilty to racketeering and served 21 months in prison.

Lillo Brancato

Sometimes the line between fiction and reality is rather blurry. Lillo Brancato appeared in “The Sopranos,” playing Christopher’s underling Matthew Bevilaqua. On December 10, 2005, Brancato and an accomplice named Steven Armento broke into a house in the Bronx. Living next door was an off-duty police officer named Daniel Enchautegui, who heard glass breaking and confronted the men outside. A gunfight then ensued and Enchautegui was killed. The fatal shot was fired by Armento, so Brancato was found not guilty of second-degree murder. However, he was found guilty of attempted burglary and was given ten years in prison. He served less than five.

Jared Fogle

A different kind of television star, Jared Fogle was the main spokesperson for Subway between 2000 and 2015, appearing in over 300 commercials. And their working relationship probably would have gone longer had it not been for one devastating discovery. On July 7, 2015, Fogle’s Indiana home was raided by the FBI, who found him to be in possession of illegal material. He was arrested on charges of distribution and receipt and was quickly fired from Subway. Federal judge Tanya Pratt claimed that “the level of perversion and lawlessness exhibited by Mr. Fogle is extreme” and sentenced him to nearly sixteen years in prison. He is currently serving his sentence in FCI Englewood and is eligible for parole in 2029.

Will Hayden

After serving in the Marines, Will Hayden opened Red Jacket Firearms, a business that catered to custom weapons. This business attracted the attention of the Discovery Channel, and they produced a show called “Sons of Guns” which chronicled the daily goings on inside Red Jacket Firearms. The show was on the air for five seasons, until news broke in August 2014 that Hayden had been arrested for crimes related to minors. “Sons of Guns” was immediately canceled, and the story got even worse when Hayden’s own daughter accused him of similar crimes against her. He was convicted of two counts of aggravated assault and is currently serving three life sentences inside Louisiana State Penitentiary.

Danny Masterson

“That ‘70s Show” kickstarted a lot of careers, including that of Danny Masterson, who would later reunite with Ashton Kutcher on “The Ranch.” But not long after that show started, Masterson was hit with multiple accusations of assault and was both fired from “The Ranch” and dropped by the United Talent Agency. These accusations prompted an investigation by the LAPD, resulting in numerous charges of sexual assault. The years-long legal battle finally came to an end in 2023, when Masterson was convicted of two counts and given thirty years to life in prison.

Josh Duggar

“19 Kids and Counting” was a show that aired on TLC between 2008 and 2015. It followed the Duggar family, which consisted of parents Michelle and Jim Bob and their nineteen children. The eldest was Josh Duggar, who was already an adult by the time the show started. Unfortunately, accusations of sexual assault have followed Duggar throughout much of his adult life, and they directly led to the cancellation of “19 Kids and Counting.” Justice finally came for Duggar in 2021, when he was arrested by U.S. Marshals for receiving and owning illegal material related to minors. He was found guilty of possession and given twelve years in prison, a sentence that was welcomed and supported by multiple family members.

Stephen Collins

After many years of acting, Stephen Collins became a household name in 1996, having landed the role of Eric Camden on “7th Heaven.” Eric is a Protestant minister, which is deeply ironic considering Collins’s immoral crimes. In 2014, TMZ leaked audio from a counseling session that Collins was attending, in which he admitted to misconduct with underage girls. The leak was devastating to Collins’s career and he was fired from numerous projects. Collins admitted his transgressions to the media, claiming that he had committed three instances of misconduct in his distant past. But as the claims are unsubstantiated, Collins has faced no legal recourse for his actions.

Michael Jace

This actor was lucky enough to be on “The Shield,” which is considered one of the best shows ever made. He played Julien Lowe, one of the few decent police officers in a show full of corrupt ones. And, like Stephen Collins, this clash between character and reality is deeply ironic. In May of 2014, Jace murdered his wife April in Los Angeles and proceeded to call the cops on himself, bluntly telling them, “I shot my wife.” According to investigators, Jace shot her once in the back and twice in both legs, which was considered a symbolic gesture as April was a professional runner. He was given 40 years to life in prison.

Bill Cosby

There are few downfalls bigger than that of Bill Cosby. Once considered “America’s Dad,” Cosby is now a social pariah and his legacy in Hollywood has been permanently tarnished. It all relates to dozens of indecent assault allegations that date back to 1965. Decades’ worth of accusations were completely ignored, but we can thank comedian Hannibal Buress for bringing justice to the countless women. In October 2014, Buress made a joke about Cosby’s sketchy past, leading more than a dozen victims to come forth. Cosby was eventually found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault and was given three to ten years in prison. He spent less than three years inside before his conviction was overturned owing to a legal technicality.

Jimmy Savile

Tragically, sometimes justice is not brought. Such is the case with Jimmy Savile, the host of “Top of the Pops” and “Jim’ll Fix It.” Savile died in 2011 as a British legend and a Knight Bachelor, having received the honor all the way back in 1990. But his legacy was brought into question just one year later, when an ITV documentary examined claims of indecent abuse against Savile. Similar accusations had been made during Savile’s lifetime, but they were widely ignored. But this documentary prompted a new investigation from Scotland Yard, who found Savile to be one of Britain’s most prolific assault offenders. He had reportedly assaulted hundreds of people throughout his lifetime - and he got away with it all.

Who are some other television idols with a dark past? Drop a line in the comments.