Former Bachelorette contestant James McCoy Taylor has been arrested in connection to his 2024 assault case.
According to online records for Brazos County, Texas, viewed by Us Weekly, Taylor was arrested on Friday, March 20. He was released the same day on a $10,000 surety bond. (A surety bond is a legally-binding contract between three people, guaranteeing that the principal will fulfill the contract obligations to the obligee.)
Us Weekly reached out to Taylor comment.
Taylor’s Friday arrest is related to a 2024 incident. At the time, Us confirmed that the reality TV contestant was taken into custody on warrants issued by the nearby Bryan Police Department. He was booked on charges for assault causing bodily injury and unlawful restraint.
Citing court records, Complex reported that Taylor pleaded guilty to the charges in 2025 and was sentenced to 18 months of probation, 80 hours of community service, a $750 fine, $350 in court costs and anger management classes. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim and banned from College Station, Texas’ Northgate Entertainment District, the outlet reported.
His probation was allegedly ended by the court last month, over issues related to the nonpayment of the fines, Complex reported. A warrant for his arrest was issued on February 17, per the outlet. Complex reported that Taylor owes $300 out of a total of $1,184, including the fine, court costs and other fees.
Before his initial arrest, Taylor allegedly told police that the interaction with the woman was “enjoyable and consensual.” He was released on an $8,000 bond. Taylor denied the claims in a statement.
“So let me get this straight. Not so much as a scratch on me as I showed police via pictures of my whole body which was awkward, to say the least, and I’m a pretty big guy, but I was trying to ‘unlawfully restraint’ a girl and she just … got away?” Taylor told multiple outlets at the time. “And walked right to her Uber right outside my House? With no injuries? OK, got it. This makes tons of sense. Trust me if there were any injuries they’d be all over the internet.”
Taylor claimed to not remember the name of the victim, but said the woman’s family confronted him about the allegations.
“I would never hurt anybody. I’m nice to every person I meet. That’s my statement,” Taylor said. “Now go ahead and trash my life because you hate my political stances or for the views, you’ll get on TikTok.”
Taylor’s lawyer also issued a statement to Us on the allegations, which read at the time, “Will Vaughn James is innocent unless proven guilty, and we plan on zealously representing him in this matter. I’m confident the truth about what happened will be revealed and justice will be achieved.”
Taylor appeared on JoJo Fletcher’s season 12 of The Bachelorette, which aired in 2016. Four years later, Taylor participated in the March on the Capitol in Washington, D.C., to protest President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss.
“Big thanks to #TheBachelor family for supporting me during this time … from top to bottom,” he wrote via X in January 2021. “Conservative producers are the best!! Thank you @ABCNetwork @ABC & @BachelorABC for having my back while I legally supported our President.”
A source told Us at the time that Taylor’s claims of support from ABC were “unequivocally false,” with Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss taking to X to address the comments.
“Whoever that former cast member/idiot jerkoff is that went to Trump’s treasonous rally, got a message for ya … You are officially exiled from #BachelorNation!!!” Fleiss wrote.
Two years later, Taylor was arrested in September 2022 for driving while intoxicated and unlawful carrying of a weapon. A Brazos County judge found Taylor guilty on both charges one month later. He was sentenced to serve five days, pay a $500 fine and $585 in court costs, and there was a temporary suspension of his drivers license.
