Former Bachelorette Jenn Tran’s ex-fiancé, Devin Strader, is breaking his silence after reports of a prior arrest and restraining order.
“Following my time on The Bachelorette, there have been many stories and misrepresentations put out in the media that I want to take a moment to address,” Strader, 28, wrote in a statement to Us Weekly on Thursday, September 19.
Strader went on to apologize for the 13-minute long video he shared following the season 21 finale of The Bachelorette earlier this month. In the clip, he released several text messages between him and Tran, 26, in an attempt to share his side of the story. Hours later, Strader apologized for sharing “sensitive information,” which he reiterated in his statement to Us.
“I want to apologize for the video I released following the final episode. I am not proud of that lapse in judgment,” he wrote. “I am truly grateful for my time on the show, and for getting the chance to know and love Jenn. I certainly regret hurting her in any way. She is a very special person, and I wish her nothing but good things.”
Days after Strader posted his video, news broke that he was previously arrested after allegedly burglarizing an ex-girlfriend’s Louisiana home seven years before appearing on The Bachelorette. Per a March 2017 affidavit obtained by Entertainment Weekly, Strader’s ex also had a restraining order against him.
The documents were sealed when Strader was cast on The Bachelorette earlier this year. A source close to production told Us, “We take the safety of our contestants very seriously and make every effort to conduct thorough diligence. As exhaustive as our vetting process is, this protective order did not surface in our searches.”
In his statement, Strader noted that the incidents arose from “a low point” in his past and have been “severely misconstrued.”
“The accusations are simply not true as I have never inappropriately laid hands on another individual or treated my ex-girlfriend in any of the ways I have been depicted,” he said on Thursday. “That restraining order was never granted, and fully dismissed.”
Strader claimed that he and his college ex-girlfriend “ended up reconciling” and went their separate ways “on good terms.”
“This was the first time I ever fell in love and I learned a lot from our relationship,” he said. “It was a growing experience for both of us.”
Strader concluded his lengthy statement with a message for those who have supported him.
“I know that I have made mistakes in my life and that I am not perfect, but I have continued to work every day to be someone that my family and friends would be proud of, and I am truly thankful to everyone who has been by my side,” he concluded.
