EXCLUSIVE: Vannessa Cross’ Stunning Criminal History — ‘1000-lb Best Friends’ Star’s Drug Felonies & More
Vannessa Cross of 1000-lb Best Friends has a sordid criminal history of her own — that’s never come up on the TLC show. Here’s an exclusive look at her criminal convictions, including one really bizarre charge.
Vannessa Cross’s Drug Felonies — Charges Run from 1999-2016
Vanessa’s criminal history began more than 20 years ago. But her most current infraction we confirmed was as recent as 2016, as we learned from a criminal court clerk in the State of Georgia.
The oldest case we located was from 1999. Then, cops arrested her in mid-October. And she pled guilty to the charges on February 2, 2000. The charge was for felony manufacture/sale/dispense or distribution of drugs.
In this case, we were told the controlled substance at hand was Marijuana, greater than an ounce. That time, Vannessa Cross got off pretty easy with a $750 fine and 12 months of probation.
The star of 1000-lb Best Friends’ strangest set of charges came in August of 2006 and 2007. Vannessa and her friend April G (last name withheld for privacy) pleaded guilty to avoid a grand jury indictment for several felony charges.
Vannessa, but not her friend, was charged with and pled guilty to possession of Methamphetamine (meth). Both pleaded guilty to trying to “obtain a controlled substance by fraud”. Her friend also pled guilty to unlawful possession of Hydrocodone (a controlled substance).
They were convicted if trying and get Lortab (Hydrocodone) prescriptions written to others. As to the meth possession, our law enforcement source advised that it was likely she had it on her when arrested for the other charge.
Impersonating an Officer — Misdemeanor for 1000-lb Best Friends Star
Police arrested both Vannessa and her friend in another case just one year later. This one involves the strange charge of impersonating an officer. We obtained reports that spill the details on Vannessa Cross.
The arrest for the prior fraud and meth charges occurred August 8, 2006. A year to the day later, police arrested Vannessa again. This time for an attempt to impersonate a police officer. This odd case began with a complaint from a doctor’s office to the police.
The report says a woman “with a husky voice and Southern accent” called the physician’s office claiming to be a narcotics detective. Have you heard Vannessa’s voice on 1000-lb Best Friends?
The caller asked the office manager if any pharmacies had called about fake prescriptions. When questioned by the cops, Vannessa accused her friend April of making the calls and claimed innocence.
Yet, there was enough evidence to continue. The police issued a warrant for Vannessa in July 2007. Police picked her up in another county in August. (See mugshot below). They also arrested her friend. April admitted a drug problem, and asked to be sent to rehab.
We can’t locate a conviction for this case. But since both Vannessa and her friend were already on probation on the other charge, they might have rolled it into that case since impersonating was rated a misdemeanor in this case.
Vannessa’s Boyfriend Died in Prison — Charges Overlap Birth of Sons
Vannessa Cross has one son who’s 18 and another, 13, — Jacob and Werner Cross. Her oldest was born between her first drug charge and the ones above. Her youngest son was born a couple of years after these.
We also presented an exclusive on Vannessa’s boyfriend Damien Metts. She reported on 1000-lb Best Friends that he died of liver cancer. But she didn’t admit that he died in prison.
The court charged him with felony possession with intent to distribute Ecstasy. That offense was in mid-2015. Metts was convicted. And the judge remanded him to the toughest state prison in Georgia. After a string of drug-related felony convictions, that’s common.
Investigating her criminal records, we heard of another arrest in March 2016 for Marijuana. We’re still awaiting physical copies of those records. That allegedly took place in Henry County.
The mugshot above is for the 2007 arrest for impersonating an officer. It was obtained via Mugshots.com. They list one other charge there. It was in 2001 for driving on a suspended/revoked license.
A little less than five years later, Vannessa Cross seemed to clean up her act. And she landed a spot on the TLC series Too Large. She and BFF Meghan Crumpler then got a series of their own on TLC this year.
As for Vannessa Cross’s co-conspirator — whom she rolled over on when grilled for impersonating an officer… They remain close friends to this day.
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