Bethenny Frankel’s Ex-Husband Jason Hoppy Rejects Plea Deal In Stalking Case

Bethenny Frankel’s ex-husband Jason Hoppy, 45, has rejected a plea deal for allegedly stalking and harassing the Real Housewives of New York star. Hoppy, a pharmaceutical sales executive, showed up in the Manhattan courtroom to face the charges. Hoppy appeared very gaunt as he appeared before Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Abena Darkeh on March 13. Jason turned down the prosecution’s offer for his client to plead guilty to a harassment violation. The option to attend an anger management program was also rejected by Hoppy, according to the D.A.’s office.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office told Us Weekly that Hoppy’s attorney, Alex Spiro, stated that “the defendant rejected and then this was adjourned for motions.” Judge Abena Darkeh ordered Hoppy not to contact Frankel and adjourned the case to April 26, according to New York Daily News. Spiro had no comment when Us Weekly reached out for comment.

On January, 27, Jason Hoppy was arrested after he allegedly contacted the RHONY star “numerous times via email and FaceTime, and approached [the] victim making verbal threats,” an NYPD spokesperson confirmed to Us Weekly.

Bethenny, 46, and Jason share a 6-year-old daughter named Bryn. According to a police report, Hoppy and Frankel got into an argument on January 17 at Bryn’s Manhattan school. It was reported that Bethenny claimed Jason told her that it doesn’t matter how many lawyers she got during their contentious battle because there is nothing she can do to stop him.

“‘You can play your game. It doesn’t matter. You can get 10 lawyers. There’s nothing you can do to stop me. You’ll be sorry.'”

According to Us Weekly, a source close to the case alleged that Hoppy said, “I will destroy you” and the last message was the most unnerving of them all, “That,” said the insider, “was a threat.”

Jason has adamantly denied the charges. Hoppy’s attorney at the time, Robert C. Gottlieb, previously told Us is that he and his client tend to fight against the charges.

“There are no words to express how saddened Mr. Hoppy is over his ex-wife’s unjustified actions. His only concern is his daughter and he intends to vigorously fight these false charges. We fully intend to do our talking in the courtroom.”

After several years, Bethenny was incredibly relieved to be free of Jason when the couple finally signed divorce papers last July. However, Frankel was baffled at the length of time the divorce process had taken.

“I’d think, How could this go on for so long? Four years on a two-year marriage!”

An insider close to the source revealed to Us weekly that “the divorce going through only made Jason worse.” Frankel’s friend claims that Jason has bombarded Bethenny and Shields with aggressive emails and texts messages since last summer.

“He was obsessively taunting her.”

According to court documents, on October 10, Jason emailed the RHONY star while she was at home at her $4.2 million apartment when he said Bethenny left him no choice but to take extreme measures.

“You left me no choice but to go to extremes … to try and get through to you.”

Bethenny’s lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter last November, but it did nothing to stop the torrent. Other filings of Bethenny’s claim that she received another 160 emails over the following two months, according to Us Weekly. The insider also said that Bethenny has the evidence to back up her claims and this proof may come in handy when the exes are due back in court for a status update on the restraining order on March 13.

“Bethenny keeps a huge binder with every single piece of evidence.”

A source close to Hoppy hopes he’ll be able to show he’s not the aggressive person Frankel has depicted.

“This is simply a contentious divorce… All these allegations are being overblown.”

[Featured Image by Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images]