A former American Idol contestant from Season 6 has ended up in trouble with the law. Authorities have arrested her on a domestic violence charge.
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Antonella Barba had a turbulent time on the singing competition series back in 2007. Barba, now 38, made it into the Top 16 contestants, although anonymous sources posted revealing photos of the singer, bringing a storm of unwanted attention. Per a report from Reuters in 2007, Barba said, "The pictures that have been released of me, the ones that actually are me, they were very personal, and that is not how I intended to portray myself." Simon Cowell reportedly told the contestant she handled herself well, considering the media frenzy.
Unfortunately, the years after the competition have not been kind to Barba. In 2018, TMZ reported that police allegedly arrested her for trying to distribute heroin. According to the same outlet, police picked her up in New Jersey on Sunday night during a traffic stop. Per a report by USA Today, authorities arrested Barba following a domestic violence charge filed two weeks ago. Authorities reportedly state that the domestic violence charge violates her probation from a previous drug charge. The District of New Jersey issued a warrant for her arrest owing to the violation.
The Former American Idol Star Faces Home Detention
Police released Barba after her arrest on the condition of home detention. USA Today explains that the courts also demand that she not contact an ex-partner, K.H.
According to American Songwriter, Barba has had run-ins with the law since as early as 2010, with a shoplifting charge. She faced the heroin distribution charge in 2018, which reportedly escalated when authorities caught her with cocaine and fentanyl. Barba initially denied the charges but later pleaded guilty. A judge sentenced her to four years in prison.
The former American Idol contestant's woes only continued after she exited prison in October 2021. She allegedly lied to a probation officer about her living situation. TMZ explains that in November 2024, Barba was reportedly involved in a domestic violence incident with K.H. Barba has a court hearing on April 29, and her location will be electronically monitored until then.
