'I wasn’t thinking during those times': MMA fighter 'Mayhem' Miller pleads guilty in 5 cases

April 7, 2017 11:50 AM PT

Known for his outrageous Twitter outbursts and conflicts with police, mixed martial arts fighter Jason “Mayhem” Miller is looking to make amends.

Seeking to resolve no fewer than five criminal cases in Orange County, Miller agreed Wednesday to plead guilty to more than a dozen felony and misdemeanor charges for vandalizing a tattoo shop, assaulting police officers and resisting arrest.

The 36-year-old fighter, who was facing a possible 21-year prison sentence, received a punishment of three years’ probation and 100 days in jail. Because he has already spent 50 days in county jail, under California law, Miller won’t have to serve any additional jail time.

“I have done a lot of things that I regret,” Miller said. “I wasn’t thinking during those times.”

The ex-MTV “Bully Beatdown” host said he has come a long way since his public meltdown in October 2014.

Facing stalking and domestic violence allegations made by his ex-girlfriend, Miller barricaded himself inside his Mission Viejo home when members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team attempted to arrest him on warrants.

Not one to shy away from the public eye, he live-tweeted his standoff with deputies.

Miller said his Twitter tirade was sparked by his overwhelming frustration with “the system.”

“Instead of an ‘us versus them’ policy, we should have an ‘America one’ policy,” he said at the time.

He went on to fight the domestic violence allegations and was acquitted by a jury in February.

Still a cloud lingered over Miller for years as the public’s perception of him plummeted.

He also lost his contract as a commentator for Fox Sports, said his attorney, Cameron Talley.

It was a significant blow to the fighter whose career was teetering after Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White in 2012 said Miller was “done” with the organization. Miller, who worked as a coach on UFC’s “The Ultimate Fighter” on Spike TV, tested the Las Vegas boss’ patience with a series of losses.

His onstage shenanigans and flashy entrances — on one occasion he wore a pink boa to a weigh-in — infuriated White. Months after he was dropped from UFC, Miller was arrested after deputies found him sleeping naked on a couch in an Orange County church. Miller was also charged with burglary and vandalism.

Miller’s problems were piling up, his attorney said, and the assault allegations drove him to drink. He spiraled into depression, the lawyer said.

“He was stigmatized as a wife beater,” said Talley, a former prosecutor who has become friends with the athlete. “Everybody looked at him with this stigma.”

Miller became erratic and increasingly hostile with police.

In March 2015, Miller was arrested after he grappled with four officers who tried to stop him after he caused a commotion inside a popular Laguna Beach restaurant, police said. Miller kicked and spat on the officers during the brawl, police said. He was placed in the back seat of a police cruiser, where Miller kicked at the back windows on the way to the jail, according to police.

Eight months after his struggle with officers, Miller was arrested again. He was accused of throwing a ceramic tile at Orange County sheriff’s deputies, who went to his home in October 2015 after receiving reports of a disturbance. During the visit, deputies said, they heard a woman’s screams coming from inside the home. When deputies confronted Miller, authorities said, he threatened them with a fire extinguisher and metal pole. Miller struggled with deputies for eight minutes. Deputies tasered Miller, who was eventually handcuffed and taken into custody, authorities said.

“I had a lot of problems of being known as a celebrity in Orange County,” Miller said. “I felt that I was unfairly targeted.”

In February 2016, Miller was arrested in Irvine on suspicion of driving drunk. A month later, he was taken into custody on a warrant alleging vandalism. Prosecutors said he wrote graffiti on a brick wall outside of Stay Ready Tattoo in Lake Forest on Jan. 27.

Subsequently, Miller was taken into custody after he fought with security guards and spat on a Costa Mesa police officer at a restaurant, authorities said. During the violent July 2016 confrontation, the security guard injured his wrist and Miller suffered a cut to his face after he was tackled, police said.

The arrests and altercations with police earned him unflattering fame. Some fans abandoned him and lashed out at him on Twitter.

“I had three or four years of negative hate speech,” Miller said.

Miller’s mugshots didn’t help him either. Miller, with his signature pink Mohawk haircut, grinned for the booking photos.

During his depression and struggle with celebrity, Miller recalled, he fell back on a truth his father told him: “You wanted this.”

His father was right.

“So now, I gotta take the good and the bad,” he said.

Miller said he has taken responsibility for what he’s done.

“I deeply respect the police,” the former Strikeforce middleweight said, adding that he trains officers in his gym.

He said he believes that the public has begun to forgive him and that his fan base is returning.

Miller said he leaned on his family for support and they helped pull him out of despair. He also sought comfort in a familiar place: the gym.

With dozens of professional fights under his belt and years of experience, Miller said he is training younger fighters and traveling overseas to offer coaching advice. He also provides live commentary for “Full Metal Dojo,” a mixed martial arts show in Thailand.

As Miller tries to turn his life around, however, he is not completely out of the woods. He has two strikes on his criminal record looming over him, and the next big blow-up could lead to serious jail time.

But he remains optimistic and said he can stay out of trouble. He said he’s finally figured out why he slipped up so many times.

“During my college years, I was eating spinach, chicken breast and training,” Miller said. “I spent the last four years in college. I have been trying to figure out how to be a human being, but I think, at this point, I kinda figured it out.”

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Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA