'Teen Mom' Alum Ryan Edwards' Criminal History: Updates

MTV fans were first introduced to Ryan Edwards when he appeared on the 2009 premiere of 16 & Pregnant. At the time, he was expecting his first child with his then-girlfriend, Maci Bookout.

After the pair welcomed their son Bentley in 2008, they continued to document their lives on Teen Mom. Ryan and Maci got engaged in 2009, but split soon after in 2010.

Despite his breakup from Maci, Ryan continued to appear on the reality show as the pair coparented Bentley. Over the years, viewers watched the Tennessee native struggle with substance abuse. Amid his addiction, Ryan has been arrested several times on drug-related charges and has gone to rehab.

In March 2017, he was arrested for the first time for heroin possession. However, the charge was dropped to a misdemeanor citation for possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Just a few months later, fans became concerned for Ryan when he appeared to be under the influence while driving Mackenzie Edwards (née Standifer) to their wedding in June 2017. The shocking incident was featured during a season 6 episode of Teen Mom OG.

“He’s an addict,” Maci said about her ex following his wedding during the episode. “He doesn’t care about anything.”

Soon after the episode aired, Ryan told Us Weekly in June 2017 that he entered a treatment facility for his substance abuse issues. “A little over 30 days ago, I made the decision to check myself into a rehabilitation facility,” he said at the time. “I am back home now doing well, and life could not be better. Without the support of my wife and parents I would not have been able to do this. Thank you all for your well wishes.”

Meanwhile, Mackenzie reflected on her decision to get in the car with Ryan while answering questions from fans via social media in March 2022. “I was young, confused, nervous and made a very bad decision. I’m so thankful no one was hurt,” the mother of three said at the time. “We made peace with it a long time ago together.”

However, Ryan’s arrests are not only on drug-related charges. In March 2023, he was arrested for stalking Mackenzie after she filed for divorce in February.

In addition to filing for divorce, the influencer was granted a restraining order and temporary custody of their two kids, Jagger and Stella, after he allegedly made threats to her over the phone.

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Ryan did not immediately respond to In Touch‘s request for comment.

Not only that, but Ryan was later arrested and hospitalized in April 2023 after overdosing on drugs while driving, In Touch confirmed.

Keep scrolling to take a look back at Ryan’s lengthy criminal history. 

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March 2017

Ryan was arrested in March 2017 for heroin possession. Police officers discovered “approximately 14 hypodermic needles, one of which was loaded with heroin,” in his car at the time of the arrest, according to the police report obtained by Radar Online. Additionally, the officers found “two silver spoons with residue on them” and 1.8 grams of heroin. The charge has since been expunged.

March 2018

Also in March 2018, Maci and her husband, Taylor McKinney, filed for an order of protection against Ryan after they claimed that he threatened them during a phone call. “He called me on Tuesday, March 20th, 2018, and threatened to show up at my house and put a bullet in my head,” Taylor alleged in the court documents, according to Us Weekly. “He has a history of drug abuse. … He has also said he would show up at our son’s baseball game and confront us (my wife and I).”

Maci and Taylor, along with their daughter Jayde and son Maverick, were granted a two-year restraining order against Ryan in May 2018. The restraining order has since expired.

July 2018

In July 2018, Ryan was taken into police custody after he violated his probation from his first arrest for a second time. He remained in jail for one week until his release. The former reality star’s first charge for simple possession of heroin was dismissed, though he “was given 11 months and 29 days suspended sentence” for a second count, according to Us Weekly. Additionally, Ryan was ordered to complete six months of probation and five public work days by October 1, 2018. Ryan also agreed to do random drug testing for six months.

In August 2018, Ryan told E! News that the incident a “misunderstanding.”

“I got a speeding ticket and while I was pulled over, it came up that I was in violation of my probation because the community service had not been completed,” he claimed at the time. “I didn’t do all of it. I went to jail for not doing all of my community service. It’s not that I wasn’t taking the community service seriously, it’s just that we have so much going on, I didn’t realize the deadline had passed. It was just a misunderstanding. I thought I had more time.”

February 2023

Following a few years of good behavior, Ryan was arrested in February 2023 after he violated an Order of Protection by Mackenzie. She filed the paperwork after Ryan began accusing her of cheating on social media, while he also allegedly threatened her.

Ryan was in possession of drug paraphernalia and two bags of suspected narcotics at the time of his arrest. According to the documents viewed by In Touch, he was booked on harassment, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance charges.

March 2023

On March 14, most of Ryan’s charges stemming from his February 10 and March 1 arrests were dropped. The former reality TV star appeared in a Tennessee court, where Judge Gary Starnes dismissed multiple charges including stalking, possession of drug paraphernalia and violating a protection order, according to online records viewed by In Touch.

The judge also explained that Ryan’s charge of possession of a controlled substance would be dismissed if he completed six months in rehab. Additionally, Ryan pleaded guilty to harassment and was ordered to wear a GPS monitor, go to rehab, have no contact with the victim – his estranged wife – have no social media relating to Mackenzie and “complete HCP Level 2 for 11 months and 29 days” unless he is in treatment, per records viewed by In Touch.

April 2023

On April 7, 2023, Ryan was hospitalized and arrested after he overdosed on drugs while driving his truck, In Touch confirmed.

According to The Sun, the former reality star was “removed from the vehicle and placed in [an ambulance], where he received Narcan and eventually regained consciousness.”

“A quick search of Ryan Edwards by EMS turned up a small bag of what appeared to be a crystal-type substance and a second small bag of what appeared to be a blue powder,” the legal documents read, per the outlet. “Also in the pocket was a paper receipt that had been rolled up.”