Many fans went out of their way to watch the CMA Awards earlier this month. Some subscribed to a streaming service to catch the show live. Others blocked off time to watch the three-hour event. Some fans went so far as to buy tickets to attend the event in person. However, one aspiring country singer named Austin Tanner risked going to jail to see Country Music’s Biggest Night in person and walk the red carpet. Now, the chickens are coming home to roost.
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Tanner released his first and only song “All We Need,” a co-write with Leo Brooks and Levon Gray in March. So far, it has garnered a little over 1,000 streams. However, when the Orange Beach, Alabama native isn’t in the studio, he’s the president of ATA Loss Consulting, an insurance claims consulting agency. In April, a grand jury indicted Tanner on two counts of first-degree insurance fraud, theft of property, and attempted theft, according to a report from People. This is where things take a turn.
Tanner posted a $20,000 bail and has been out awaiting trial. His release stipulated that he not leave the state of Alabama without the court’s permission. After attending the CMA Awards on November 20 in Nashville, Tennessee, a judge issued a warrant for Tanner’s arrest.
How the Court Found Out Austin Tanner Left the State to Attend the CMA Awards
Some may be wondering how the court found out that Austin Tanner left the state, attended the CMA Awards, and broke the conditions of his bail. Well, the courts didn’t need to put a tracker on Tanner or his vehicle because the day after attending the awards show, he told on himself on social media.
On November 21, Tanner posted a photo of him and his wife on the red carpet at the CMA Awards. Additionally, he had a hearing set for November 21 that was hurriedly rescheduled for November 20, the day of the event.
Tanner’s attorney, Frederick Helmsing claims that he had no knowledge of his client’s illegal travel plans. He stated that the hearing was rescheduled “due to the complexity of the case, issues over matters of law, and ongoing investigations.”
Officers of the Court Have the Internet, Too
The Mobile County District Attorney’s office filed a motion to revoke Austin Tanner’s bond on November 25. A judge granted the motion the next day and issued a warrant for his arrest. Assistant District Attorney Clay Rossi included screenshots of Tanner’s CMA Awards post in his motion. “Given that the defendant was well-versed in the travel conditions of his bond, and given his public disregard for those restrictions, the state seeks to revoke his bond,” Rossi wrote.
What evidence does the court have that Tanner was knowingly breaking the law when he left the state? He had previously asked permission to travel to Florida for work in June and was allowed to do so.
Rossi’s motion will be reviewed in a hearing scheduled for next week but the warrant for Tanner remains active.
Featured Image via Austin Tanner’s YouTube
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