Texas woman, 18, arrested for showing intimate video featuring herself and ex-boyfriend to customers at his bar

An 18-year-old Texas woman is facing legal consequences after allegedly displaying an intimate video of herself and her ex-boyfriend to patrons at a local bar. Authorities have classified the March 3 incident at District 249 Bar & Grill in Tomball, Texas, as a case of revenge porn.

The woman, identified as Taylor Jewell Richard, reportedly shared the explicit footage of her and her former partner, Michael Bassett, with the intent to harm him. According to an arrest affidavit, Richard's actions were premeditated and aimed at causing distress to Bassett, who is the owner and CEO of a diesel maintenance company.

Bassett admitted to recording the intimate moment on Valentine's Day at Richard's request, believing that the video would remain private. "She had me record it on her phone," Bassett explained in an interview. "I mean, I took those out of confidence, not thinking they would get out. I don’t have an OnlyFans or anything. I don’t sell pictures and stuff of my body."

Following their breakup shortly after Valentine's Day, Bassett asked Richard to delete the footage. However, things took a turn when one of Bassett's friends, who happened to be at the bar, alerted him via Snapchat about Richard's actions. The messages exchanged among friends quickly turned into jokes and name-calling, with Bassett being humorously referred to as "Mickle Pickle."

As the situation escalated, some customers at the bar expressed their disapproval of the explicit content, leading to a decline in business for Bassett. "I can handle my friends messing with me and whatnot. I can’t handle when I start losing money," he stated, clearly frustrated by the impact on his livelihood.

Richard was arrested on a Monday night and faced formal charges by Wednesday. She is now charged with one count of felony, Unlawful Disclosure of Intimate Visual Material, which could result in a prison sentence of up to two years if convicted. The charging documents indicate that Richard was aware that the video was created under circumstances where Bassett had a reasonable expectation of privacy, and her actions caused him significant harm, including public ridicule and damage to his business relationships.

After her arrest, Richard was released on her own recognizance but was instructed not to contact Bassett. However, before leaving jail, she reportedly called him, pleading for the charges to be dropped. "She was just like, 'Are you going to drop the charges?' And this, that, and the other. I’m like, 'No, you have a lesson to learn,'" Bassett recounted.

Bassett also took the opportunity to warn other young men about the potential risks of recording intimate moments. "Tomorrow’s promised to nobody. Your relationship is not promised to you tomorrow, and these women can be evil," he cautioned, emphasizing the importance of being cautious in personal relationships.