"Road Rules" Star's Rap Sheet

 Langham in '01 mug shot. 

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JUNE 11--A Boston man facing a domestic violence charge was cast anyway by MTV in the network's current "Road Rules" series, The Smoking Gun has learned. Donell Langham, 21, was arrested last July for assault and battery after allegedly striking his teenage girlfriend and throwing her to the ground and dragging her several feet.

According to a police report, cops saw "significant bruising" on 5' 3" Erin Soper's "arms, back, and legs." As a result of the incident, a District Court judge signed a restraining order barring Langham, 5' 6", 200+ pounds, from contacting or going near the girl.

Months after the incident, Langham was tabbed for the 12th installment of MTV's popular "Road Rules" show, which was lensed this spring in the South Pacific and had its network premiere on May 26.

In April, weeks after filming ended and Langham returned to Massachusetts, he was again arrested for assaulting Soper as well as violating the July 2002 protection order. According to police, Langham argued with the teenager and grabbed her throat for "about five seconds." When police arrived, they noted in a report, red marks were still visible on Soper's throat area. Langham is scheduled to face trial this summer on both misdemeanor cases and could face a maximum of two-and-a-half years in jail if convicted.

In a TSG interview, Langham said he told "Road Rules" producers that he had a rap sheet and that, "they said nothing." Along with the July 2002 bust, Langham had one other pre-MTV arrest. He was nabbed in December 2001 after security at a local mall stopped him for "yelling and swearing" on the property. Police determined that he had previously been legally banned from the mall and charged him with trespass. The misdemeanor case was dismissed last month after Langham paid court costs.

Regarding the first assault arrest, Langham said the couple argued because, "I wouldn't sleep with her because I was drunk and exhausted." But he denied assaulting Soper and said she suffered no injuries--despite what the police report says. He also denied choking her during the April 2003 incident, adding that a cop, "made her write the statement."

Despite the incidents, Langham told TSG he is still dating Soper, though their relationship is "dysfunctional." But he acknowledged that one motive for staying together was to boost his chances at trial: "I kinda gotta also be with her to drop the charges. After this is all over I'm done with her." He concluded, "I won't do jail time on these. Community service and counseling is offered, but I'm not guilty so I won't take a deal."