Melissa Rycroft has pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated nearly one year after her arrest – but she won’t do any jail time.
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Us can exclusively confirm that Rycroft, 43, was sentenced on August 6 with a judge signing off on her plea deal on Monday, August 10.
The Bachelor alum agreed to 20 months of probation instead of 280 days in jail, per court docs obtained by Us on Wednesday, August 12.
Rycroft was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine following her DWI arrest in September 2025 during which her blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level was reported as .26 percent, which is three times the legal limit in her home state of Texas.
With her additional court fees, including a “trauma fine,” Rycroft owes the state $2,087.
The judge ordered the former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader to complete 36 hours of community service, which Rycroft must fulfill within 120 days.
Under her plea deal, Rycroft must subsequently complete a DWI education program and is not allowed to drive without a “camera equipped ignition interlock device.”
The plea deal also stipulates that Rycroft “cannot refuse a breath, blood, urine or field sobriety test as requested by a peace officer or supervision.”
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Because Rycroft was given a plea deal, she has no right to appeal the stipulations outlined in the court docs.
Days before she agreed to the terms, Us learned that the criminal district attorney’s office filed their expert witness list and argued Rycroft “has a reputation in the community for not being a law-abiding citizen.”
Us has reached out to Rycroft for comment.
Rycroft’s sentencing comes nearly one year after she was arrested in Tarrant County, Texas, in September 2025.
Us reported at the time that Rycroft spent eight hours behind bars after being taken into custody for a DWI.
“Life really sucks right now and I’m struggling, but I’m trying to march forward,” Rycroft wrote via an Instagram statement in September 2025, breaking her silence after the arrest.
The following month, Us confirmed that Rycroft was charged with a misdemeanor for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and for having an alcohol concentration level of “0.15 or more at the time” when her blood analysis was performed.
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This story was originally published August 12, 2026 at 2:09 PM.