Former "American Idol" winner and Louisiana native Laine Hardy appears to have avoided jail time after being accused of placing an audio recording device in his ex-girlfriend's LSU dorm room.

Hardy could even have his record cleared of any charges if he completes an alternative program for non-violent offenders.

It has been reported that Hardy, 22, has enrolled in a pretrial diversion program through the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office. The program is designed for anyone accused of a non-violent crime.

“We just felt that under the circumstances, and after consultation with the victim, that this was the best alternative to a very poor decision on his part,” District Attorney Hillar Moore said.

As you may recall, Hardy was arrested nearly a year ago after his ex-girlfriend found a recording device planted in her LSU dorm room. The victim found the device under her bed and at first, thought it was a phone charger, but later realized it was an audio recorder after looking it up online.

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office
East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office
loading...

Investigators found several recordings on the device dating back to February 10, 2022, including somewhere they could hear Hardy's "very distinguishable" voice. Some of the recordings were taken after the two had broken up in February of that year.

The couple had only dated for about four months.

The victim told police she confronted Hardy because he knew a suspicious amount of detail about what she did during the Christmas break. It was then that Hardy allegedly admitted to planting a "bug" but claimed he disposed of it in his pond.

On the device given to police, investigators found audio files containing the victim's private conversations, including one where she discussed the breakup. The arrest warrant suggested that Hardy removed the recorder at some point to check it before planting it back in the victim's room.

Hardy was originally booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for violation of 15:1303, which is Interception and Disclosure of Wire, Electronic, or Oral Communication.

The world got to know Laine Hardy as the winner of "American Idol" Season 17 back in 2019.

Country 'American Idol' Stars Who Disappeared

We cheered for them. We voted for them. We followed them. Then, these seven American Idol stars vanished. Or, at least it seems like it.

What happened to some of country music's best American Idol contestants over the last 20 years? This list of country American Idol stars who disappeared includes a winner, a runner-up and a third place finisher, plus several early cuts who enjoyed radio success before losing touch with fans.

 

More From 99.9 KTDY