‘Teen Mom’ Star Charged With Child Molestation, Details
A Teen Mom star has just been charged with child molestation. This comes on the heels of a 16 & Pregnant star facing felony involuntary manslaughter charges. So, who is being charged, and when did this all happen? Keep reading for all of the horrific details.
Teen Mom Star Charged With Child Molestation
A Teen Mom star has just been charged with child molestation. This is not the first time that the hit MTV show has seen controversy. Jenelle Evans faced jail time for various incidents, while her exes, David Eason and Nathan Griffith, have seen their fair share of legal problems. Nathan was arrested for domestic battery, while David allegedly violated a protective order. Amber Portwood served one year behind bars, and Leah Messer headed to rehab, so there is a lot of history with the cast. Now, someone else is in the news for something horrible amid rumors of the show’s cancellation.
Gary Shirley was featured on 16 & Pregnant alongside Portwood. The two of them share a teenage daughter, Leah, and their family was often featured on both 16&P and Teen Mom. However, it is his stepfather, Jody Patterson, who was charged with felony child molestation. He was charged with four counts, with the case filing happening on Friday, February 12th, 2026, in Indiana. Moreover, his alleged victims were supposedly under the age of 14 when the crimes occurred. Now, Gary did think that Jody was his father, but learned he was not in Season 7 of the MTV series via DNA tests.
A Twisted Story
Allegedly, Jody Patterson began molesting one girl beginning when she was eight. This went on for some time, and she eventually reported it at the age of thirteen. She claimed she was molested by Jody up until she was right before she turned twelve. Additionally, she was told by Jody that she would “get in big trouble” if she reported what happened. Jody is sixty years old, but it is unclear what the next steps for him are. Teen Mom star Gary Shirley has yet to speak out on what is going on with his stepfather and likely won’t.
He has been praised for how he stepped up and raised Leah as Amber Portwood was more focused on finding a boyfriend. Gary ended up getting married to Kristina, and they had a second daughter. Now, it seems that Teen Mom may be canceled, although there are conflicting stories. Some of the cast have said that the show is over for good, while others say that there is more to come. Either way, if the show comes back, there is no telling if Jody will be a part of Gary’s storyline.
Do you remember Gary’s stepfather from the show? Let us know in the comments below.
- ‘Mama June’ Fans Slam New Season, Sick Of Pumpkin & New Man - March 8, 2026
- Mama June Drops Bomb, Kaitlyn Blocked From Sister? - March 8, 2026
- ‘RHONJ’ Margaret Josephs Mourns Heartbreaking Death Of ‘Soul Mate’ - March 8, 2026