[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Honey Boo Boo’s boyfriend was arrested for statutory rape just before they started dating! Except it sounds like she might not care about the icky controversy!!
In explosive new police and court documents obtained by The Sun on Thursday, it was revealed that 16-year-old Alana Thompson’s beau, 21-year-old Dralin Carswell, was arrested on May 29, 2019, and initially charged with statutory rape. Alana was NOT the victim in the case. Instead, that individual was listed as a 15-year-old. Per the police report, the victim’s mother brought her daughter into the police department and claimed that Dralin, who was 18 at the time, climbed through her daughter’s window and had sex with the minor.
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In the report, an officer noted they interviewed the minor about the alleged incident, writing:
“I asked the daughter if it was consensual, and she stated ‘Yes.’”
The minor went on to tell the officer “her plan” for the visit with Dralin, adding:
“Her plan with Carswell was for him to come to the house and while there they had consensual unprotected sex in her bedroom.”
The suspect told authorities that the minor “was his girlfriend” — but he allegedly lied and claimed he’d never gone to her house that night. He supposedly said:
“They had talked about him coming to her house… but he did not actually go to the house.”
Instead, he argued that he was at his friend’s house all day and night, but when the friends he claimed to be with talked to the police, two of them alleged that they’d dropped Dralin off at the minor’s home and picked him up over an hour later. And when he got back in the car, he was desperate to leave urgently:
“[He] was scared and told them to drive fast [because the minor’s] mama had caught him inside the house.”
Yeesh. That seems like damning testimony. Interestingly, while Dralin was initially charged with statutory rape, he ultimately agreed to complete a program in order to have the claim dismissed. The Assistant District Attorney said during a pretrial diversion hearing in June 2021 that Dralin “was charged with statutory rape, misdemeanor grade,” but they didn’t have enough evidence to support that claim:
“Based on the evidence we didn’t feel like we could prove the statutory rape but could prove making a false statement.”
The ADA added:
“This is the first time Mr. Carswell has been in trouble. He is here today before the court representing himself. So the recommendation was a pretrial diversion in that situation. I’ve spoken to the mother of the 15-year-old and she’s in agreement with the recommendation which is Mr. Carswell successfully complete this pretrial status and then his case will be dismissed.”
The conditions of that agreement meant the older teen would have to sustain from alcohol and drugs, complete community service, and have no contact with the minor, among other things. The Assistant District Attorney noted:
“The conditions are $100 administrative cost. He’s to consume no alcohol, controlled substances or intoxicants not prescribed by a physician. He’s to complete a certified addiction evaluation and complete any recommendations. Submit to drug and alcohol screens at his expense. Perform 20 hours of community service. He’s to have no contact with [the minor] and he’s to attend and complete the moral recognition class program through JAG probation.”
Dralin successfully completed all of his requirements on December 13, 2021, and the case was dismissed. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Dralin was reportedly attending a Nashville technical school. He now lives in Georgia near Alana (where the age of consent is 16). It was reported that they linked up at the start of 2021 — meaning she’s probably aware of this gross legal battle, but that hasn’t been confirmed. Reps for Alana and Dralin declined to comment when The Sun reached out.
Interestingly, the couple has dealt with a lot of backlash since they first started dating last year. Either way, she seems committed to her man. While speaking to Entertainment Tonight on Thursday, the Mama June: Road to Redemption star insisted she doesn’t “care” about criticism of her interracial relationship, saying:
“In our relationship, the two most things that everybody is always talking about is our age gap and definitely because he’s Black and I’m white and we’re an interracial couple.”
She continued:
“I don’t care. Because, like, at the end of the day, my sister approves, his mom approves, and we’re happy, so what fans got to say or what haters got to say I don’t really care.”
Hmm… does she care about Dralin’s alleged past though?
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Despite the large age gap, the couple supposedly has never had a hard time connecting, she mused:
“[We’re] always talking about something — it’s never like an awkward moment, silence or none of that.”
Late last month, Alana shocked the internet when a photo of her wearing a ring on that finger made headlines. It was a big, round diamond on a silver band — a classic engagement ring. But with her being so young, it was def a bit concerning to see! Lauryn “Pumpkin” Efird, Alana’s older sister and new guardian, confirmed that the Toddlers & Tiaras alum is NOT on her way down the aisle and that the couple is “on the same wavelength,” telling ET:
“She’s not getting married, she’s not having a kid, she’s doing very good in school.”
According to Page Six, her rep insisted it was just “a ring.” Mama June’s even spoken in defense of the older guy, reminding fans that “Alana’s not that six-, seven-year-old child y’all fell in love with 11 years ago” in a chat with Too Fab, adding to ET in May:
“He’s good. He needs to hold down a job a little bit more. I mean, he’s not bad. He doesn’t treat her bad or anything like that.”
The 42-year-old continued:
“They’re [young] and they’ve been together over a year. So, if they last? Fine. If they don’t, it can be her first love.”
But again, does anyone know about his statutory rape arrest!? That seems concerning considering he’s yet again dating a much younger woman! Thoughts, Perezicous readers?!