Chelsea Belle O’Donnell, daughter of the renowned American talk show host Rosie O’Donnell, has been handed a six-year probation sentence on March 31 following a series of felony drug-related incidents. This brings to light ongoing concerns about her struggles with addiction.
The court imposed a two-year sentence for each of the three guilty charges, which Chelsea will serve in Oconto County, Wisconsin. Should she breach any conditions of her probation, she faces the prospect of incarceration.
According to a report from People on March 31, Chelsea has pleaded guilty to several serious charges including methamphetamine possession, bail jumping, and resisting or obstructing an officer. Other charges against her were dismissed during the plea hearing held in February.
In Marinette County, she faced additional charges, but these were ultimately consolidated into a single case and resolved through a plea deal.
Details of Chelsea Belle O’Donnell’s Legal Troubles
Born on September 20, 1997, Chelsea was adopted by Rosie O’Donnell and Kelli Carpenter shortly after her birth. Despite a strained relationship between mother and daughter, reports from People on March 13 indicated a rekindling of their connection, particularly after an encouraging Facebook post by Chelsea’s boyfriend, Jacob Bourassa, showing a sonogram.
Chelsea became a mother for the first time in December 2018 with the birth of her daughter, Skylar Rose. Her family has since expanded, with Chelsea welcoming three more children: daughter Riley in January 2021, daughter Avery Lynn in February 2022, and son Atlas in October 2023.
However, Chelsea’s recent history includes three arrests in Wisconsin between September and December last year. The initial arrest occurred on September 10, involving multiple felony charges such as methamphetamine possession and allegations of child maltreatment.
After being released on bail, she was arrested again a month later, facing additional serious charges including further methamphetamine possession and bail jumping.
In a heartfelt Instagram post following Chelsea’s second arrest, Rosie O’Donnell expressed her concerns writing:
“Sadly this is not new for our family – Chelsea has struggled with drug addiction for a decade – we r all hopeful she will find her way out of this deadly disease… #love #alanon 10.19.24.”
Chelsea appeared in court on March 31 in connection with her November arrest. She faced similar charges related to her earlier arrests, specifically methamphetamine possession and associated offenses.
On December 3, Rosie confirmed Chelsea’s third arrest through another Instagram post, indicating the ongoing battle with addiction:
“After being bailed out by her birth mother — Chelsea was arrested again — and is facing many charges related to her drug addiction — we all hope she is able to get the help she needs to turn her life around.”
Court documents reveal Chelsea was granted the option to appeal her sentence and received credit for 33 days served in jail. Misdemeanor charges of narcotics possession and drug paraphernalia were dropped, according to the same report from People.
Judge James Morrison, handling Chelsea’s case, has put prison terms on hold but stated that they would activate should she violate probation terms.
Chelsea is mandated to comply with strict guidelines stemming from her Marinette County cases. These include maintaining absolute sobriety, refraining from possessing any drugs or alcohol without a prescription, avoiding contact with known drug users, and being prohibited from owning any firearms.
In addition, she is required to undergo a thorough mental health evaluation and complete her high school education or obtain a GED. She is barred from entering bars or similar establishments and must adhere to the stipulations of the drug treatment court, which prohibits any opiate-based prescriptions.
As of now, Rosie O’Donnell has not publicly commented on her daughter’s latest legal developments.