Love Island star jailed for a year after pleading guilty to sex abuse and domestic violence charges… as ex brands sentence ‘an injustice’

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Cashel Barnett, a former contestant on Love Island, has been sentenced to one year in jail after admitting to charges of sexual abuse, assault, and domestic violence. The victim in the case believes this sentence is too lenient.

Originally from Sacramento, California, 34-year-old Zac Barnett first became known for appearing on the first season of the reality show Love Island USA, which aired on CBS in the summer of 2019. He later competed on The Challenge: USA in 2022 and has gained a following of nearly 80,000 on Instagram.

According to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, Barnett received a one-year jail sentence after admitting guilt to three crimes, as reported by TMZ on Tuesday.

The charges included aggravated sexual assault (a second-degree felony), aggravated assault (a third-degree felony), and domestic violence committed while a child was present (also a third-degree felony).

Barnett began his prison sentence on January 12th, and will also receive credit for the time he’s already spent in custody since the sentencing, according to officials.

The Daily Mail has contacted both Barnett’s attorney and the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, seeking additional information about this story.

After finishing his sentence, Barnett, a Fordham University graduate, will be placed on probation, according to court records.

When Cashel is released, a court order will require him to stay a certain distance away from his former partner and their child, according to legal documents.

According to a source close to Barnett’s ex-girlfriend – who accused him of sexual assault in late 2024 – she expressed her disappointment with the sentence he received during her statement to the court. She felt the punishment was too lenient.

Barnett’s ex-girlfriend expressed in her statement that a one-year sentence doesn’t seem fair, considering the pain and lasting harm he caused, according to a source.

After the sentencing, Barnett’s ex-girlfriend shared that she had been praying for the well-being of her three children and for her own safety.

According to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, prosecutors allege that Barnett had a physical altercation with his former partner on April 10, 2025. Their young child was reportedly present during the incident.

Prosecutors stated that Barnett allegedly grabbed the victim’s neck and pinned her to a bed, choking her until she lost her breath and vision.

Prosecutors highlighted last year that reports of strangulation are especially worrying. Injuries from strangulation can be severe, but may not always be immediately visible.

Okay, so I’ve been researching this, and it’s terrifying. I mean, it’s not just about the immediate danger, it’s about what happens after someone survives being strangled by their partner. Apparently, it’s a huge predictor of things getting even worse. Like, a person who’s been strangled, but survived, is a staggering 7.5 times more likely to be murdered by that same person later on. It’s not a coincidence, it’s a pattern, and it absolutely breaks my heart to think about. It’s like a massive red flag that everyone needs to understand – surviving a non-fatal strangulation doesn’t mean you’re safe, it means you’re in even more danger.

Prosecutors argued that if the defendant is released, the victim is likely to experience more domestic abuse.

According to Andrew Deesing, the reality star’s lawyer, the sentence handed down Tuesday matched the terms of the plea deal negotiated with the prosecution, as reported by TMZ.

The prosecutor suggested a probation sentence, and the judge, after considering the evidence presented in June, decided to follow that recommendation.

Deesing noted that ‘the original charges carried with them a prison sentence of 15 years to life.’

According to his lawyer, Barnett thinks the plea deal, the significant sentence reduction, and the supporting facts all lead to a fair outcome in this case.

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2026-03-18 02:33