Updated: What Sentence Did Ross Inia From ‘Below Deck’ Receive After His Arrest?
Ross Inia, bosun on Below Deck was arrested over the holidays after a booze-fueled evening of partying in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was partying with Below Deck alum, Joao Franco and another friend. Franco posted about the evening and the arrest on his Instagram story.
Both Inia and Franco posted about the evening leading up to the arrest. Each image appeared as though the friends were having a great time merrimaking on the town. But then Franco’s story took a wrong turn as his Instagram story ended at the West Palm Beach Police Department. What happened since Inia’s arrest and will he serve any prison time?
Inia is arrested on December 22
Franco’s Instagram story went from showing the friends partying on the town to Franco unable to locate Inia. “Ross is in jail…and we’ve been looking for him four hours and counting,” Franco posted. His post looks almost comical as Franco and another friend are smiling in the image. The men don’t look concerned that Inia is in custody, so Instagram followers weren’t sure if perhaps Franco was joking.
However, he tries to explain what happened in an image. “Looking for @Ross_Inia. Ross grabbed me as a mate, the police grabbed us and handcuffed us. Ross ‘resisted’ arrest. F**k the police. Find the real criminals.”
Franco is next seen standing outside the police station in a video. “So we are at what jail,” he asks his friend. “The West Palm Beach police department,” they both say.”And uh, we’ve been told we cannot find Ross,” Franco says. “Yep,” the friend says. “Apparently it’s going to take between five to 10 hours just to process him.” Inia was arrested for disorderly intoxication, battery on an officer and crimes against a person/harm public servant.
This may be what happened
When The Cheat Sheet spoke to deckhand Colin Macy-O’Toole, he said Franco may not have fully understood the gravity of the situation. “We didn’t really talk about what happened but Joao is from Zimbabwe,” Macy-O’Toole said regarding the arrest. “He’s told me some insane stories that if you get arrested in Zimbabwe and you give the police officer $100, they’ll let you go. Unfortunately, though America is tougher with the law.”
Inia punched a police officer when they witnessed Inia and his friends (in what appeared to be) fighting. Inia was eventually released on $15,000 bond. He returned to his home country of New Zealand for a holiday visit.
Where does Inia’s case stand today?
Inia entered a “not guilty” plea to the charges on January 9. The prosecutor decided not to press charges and no further action is taken. The case was closed.
However, according to the Palm Beach County County Clerk, the case was recently reopened. Inia, while no longer charged with a felony, is now charged with a misdemeanor. So that means Inia may be facing additional legal entanglements.
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