Former American Idol contestant Antonella Barba has been arrested for a second time after violating her federal supervised release.
According to TMZ, the 38-year-old New Jersey native, who competed on Idol’s sixth season and previously served prison time over drug charges, was taken into custody by the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department on Sunday night during a vehicle stop.
Barba’s latest arrest was due to an outstanding warrant related to a domestic violence charge from two weeks prior, per a source with the U.S. Marshals. This new charge also violated her probation from the aforementioned drug case.
The singer gained brief fame on Idol before being eliminated just before the top 16 in a season won by Jordin Sparks. Since her time on the show, Barba has made a few television appearances on Fear Factor in 2012 and a sketch on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2018.
Prior to her Fear Factor appearance, Barba had been caught shoplifting in New York City in 2011, per CBS News.
Barba was arrested in 2018 in Norfolk, Virginia, and faced charges for allegedly attempting to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, per a report from TMZ at the time. She served time the following year after being convicted for possessing and intending to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.
She was released in October 2021 but remained on supervised release for five years.
Trouble followed shortly after, as the singer’s probation officer discovered she had moved out of her approved residence in Point Pleasant in 2022. She then agreed to a curfew and to wear an electronic ankle bracelet.
Things got worse in late 2024 when she was allegedly involved in a domestic violence incident with her ex-partner, who was identified as K.H. in court documents.
During the alleged dispute, K.H. reportedly punched Babra in the face, leading to injuries that required her to get stitches.
The probation officer claims Babra was expelled from a domestic violence shelter in January for sharing its location with K.H. Additional incidents in February involved Rutherford and East Orange’s police departments.
As part of her house arrest, Babra has been ordered to cease all contact with K.H. and his family.
