Ronnie Ortiz-Magro Avoids Kidnapping Charge; Domestic Violence Case Still Open
Written by SOURCE on October 20, 2019
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, best known for his time as a cast member on the reality show Jersey Shore, will not be charged for kidnapping his former girlfriend Jen Harley, according to TMZ. He still may face a felony domestic violence charge.
“We’re told the LAPD is strongly pushing for Ronnie to be hit with felony domestic violence instead…based on the evidence and the alleged injuries to Harley,” the TMZ report states. The defense attorney’s office said that the incident didn’t meet the criteria for kidnapping, so the charge was thrown out.
The reality TV star is looking at up to four years in prison if he’s charged and convicted.
Ortiz-Magro allegedly told Harley that he was going to kill her during their domestic dispute on October 4. “Victim knocked on neighbor’s door and set baby on ground,” the protective order doc adds. “Suspect grabbed baby and dragged victim to the ground. Suspect punched victim with closed fist on face, causing visible injury.”
The MTV star says he did not threaten his ex-girlfriend and was only doing what he needed to do to protect his daughter. Sometime after, Ortiz-Magro was hit with an emergency protective order that stipulated that he needed to stay 100 yards away from his ex and their child.
Surveillance footage released in October provided more insight into the domestic violence incident between the two. Ortiz-Magro, who was allegedly armed with a knife, was tased during the dispute and taken to jail shortly after.
Ortiz-Magro’s attorney, Scott E. Leemon, has vigorously denied the reports about the incident.
“The reporting of the alleged incident relating to Ronnie Magro yesterday is based upon pure speculation and innuendo,” Leemon told Us Weekly early October. “We are currently conducting our own investigation and will have no further comment until that has been concluded.”
