Former “Jackass” star Bam Margera pleaded guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct in connection with an incident last year in which he was accused of assaulting his brother and making terroristic threads toward other family members.
The other charges against Margera were dropped as part of Wednesday’s plea agreement. He was sentenced to six months probation, a $50 fine and random drug testing throughout the probationary period.
The plea brings to a close a legal saga that stretches back to April 2023. That month, Pennsylvania State Police issued a warrant for Margera’s arrest following what authorities called a physical confrontation at the pro-skater’s Chester County home known as Castle Bam.
In an affidavit, Margera’s brother, Jesse Margera, said Bam Margera had banged on his locked bedroom door, and left a note threatening him if he called the police. Jesse Margera added that he later found his brother urinating in a kitchen sink, and his brother attacked him during the confrontation.
Bam Margera, his brother said, also threatened to kill everyone in the Pocopson Township home, and fled the scene before police arrived.
Margera turned himself in to Chester County authorities after a dayslong search, and he was charged with misdemeanor offenses including terroristic threats, simple assault, and harassment.
With an appearance set for 9 a.m., Margera arrived in Chester County Common Pleas Judge Patrick Carmody’s courtroom around 9:15 a.m., accompanied by several of his attorneys and his wife, Dannii Marie.
Donning a fitted black shirt with the words “Ghost Face” emblazoned across the back, Margera sat in the last row of benches. He appeared to be in good spirits as he chatted in whispers with his team. April and Phil Margera, Bam’s parents, were present as their son stood before the court.
Margera agreed with Carmody when asked whether he conducted what prosecutors said were “threatening communications” with his brother. Prosecutors said Jesse, who did not appear in court, and other members of the family had agreed with the plea terms.
William Brennan, one of Margera’s attorneys, said ahead of the plea that the offenses amounted to “glorified speeding tickets.”
Margera, meanwhile, called the incident a “wake-up call,” offering a short but heartfelt message after Carmody read the terms of his plea.
“It really cleaned up my act,” Margera said of the legal proceedings that he has attributed to his extended period of sobriety.
Carmody agreed with Margera’s sentiments, saying that over his multiple visits to the Chester County Justice Center for proceedings, he had watched Bam witness other hearings of those afflicted by addiction.
“It’s had the consequence” of Margera “not using,” Carmody said.
Margera has long struggled with substance use disorder and alcoholism, often seeing his battle with sobriety play out publicly, with extensive media coverage documenting his moves in and out of rehabilitation facilities.
Most recently, in August, he was cited for public intoxication and disorderly conduct in Delaware County after police responded to an incident at the Radnor Hotel in which they arrived to find Margera with an alleged blood-alcohol level of 0.18. Those charges were later dropped, and Margera has maintained that he has been sober for nearly a year.
April, Margera’s mother, told reporters outside the courthouse Wednesday that her son was “doing really well” amid his legal issues.
“We all love him, and we just want him to do great,” April Margera said. “He’s been through a lot in his life. He’s had a lot of access and he’s had a lot of power, and it’s hard to come down from that.”
Bam and Jesse Margera have not yet begun speaking to one another, April Margera said. However, she said, the pair will “work through it.”
“They’ve always been close, but it’s hard,” she said. “Addiction is hard. Drugs and alcohol are hard, and it does a lot to you.”
In court, however, Carmody offered Margera a stern warning about his probation.
“You screw up in the next six months and I’ll throw you in jail,” he said.
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