Police in North Carolina--apparently hot on the trail of someone seen weekly by more than 24 million viewers--have a warrant out for the arrest of the river guide and contestant on CBS' reality smash, saying she's wanted for using a stolen credit card.
Wiglesworth, 23, is currently leading river-rafting trips on the Kern River in California (this, despite getting out-rowed by non-swimmer castaway Gervase) and lives in Kernville with her boyfriend, Tracy, and her dog, Flower.
But police in Greensboro, North Carolina, say they have a five-year-old warrant out on Wiglesworth--a former city resident--for allegedly using a stolen credit card at several different businesses in the town, as well as for a meal at an Olive Garden restaurant in July 1995.
All told, police say she and two other people allegedly rang up $586.35 in charges.
"There was a warrant issued for her, and she was aware that there was one," says Greensboro police Detective Bobby Edwards. "If she comes back in state, and if we know about it, she could be arrested and charged. Quite honestly, we'd like her to just come back and have [the warrant] served."
Wiglesworth faces two felony charges. If arrested and convicted, Wiglesworth would face up to 30 months in jail, but Edwards says most first offenders end up with probation.
In 1997, Wiglesworth's name popped up on a national crime computer after she was stopped by police in Las Vegas. But police say they haven't extradited her because the cost of sending her back would be more than the theft. "For $500...the plane flight alone would have cost us that much," Edwards says.
According CBS' official bio, the pierced-and-tattooed member of the Tagi Tribe's powerful voting alliance is certified in water rescue, and describes herself as "creative," "confident" and "outgoing."
Under accomplishments, Kelly says she is most proud of having spent 21 days rowing a boat through the Grand Canyon, and her ability to touch her tongue to her nose--but curiously, no mention of any ability to get free plates of pasta in North Carolina.
Lately, it seems most reality shows have had a habit of picking people with, um, interesting backgrounds. It all started with "millionaire" groom Rick Rockwell, whose marriage stunt on Fox's Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire imploded after news surfaced that his former fiancée had a restraining order against him for allegedly hitting and threatening her.
More recently, CBS has garnered bad PR over its own cast of characters. Newly banished Big Brother contestant William "Mega" Collins was found to be a former member of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense and a follower of controversial former Nation of Islam leader Khalid Abdul Muhammad. And his housemate, roofer/family man George, accidentally killed a buddy 12 years ago in a freak hunting accident.
Then there's Survivor's corporate-trainer castaway Richard Hatch, who was was arrested shortly after he returned from his island adventure for allegedly abusing his 10-year-old son.
The pudgy Rattana fisherman is now suing both police and the state of Rhode Island, claiming authorities falsely arrested him, took his son away, and then leaked the information to the media. Meanwhile, state child welfare officials have now ended their inquiry into the case, and in May, a family court judge ordered the child returned to Hatch.
A criminal felony charge of second-degree child abuse is still pending.