The Bachelor 's Victoria Larson Says She Felt 'Liberated' When Her Mugshot Resurfaced

Ally Mauch
Updated ·2 min read
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Current Bachelor contestant Victoria Larson — the self-proclaimed "queen" of Matt James' season — is speaking out after news of her arrest nine years ago was made public.

In 2012, Larson was arrested for stealing $250 worth of groceries and makeup from a Publix in Tallahassee, Florida, according to an incident report obtained by PEOPLE last week. She was captured on security footage placing 25 items into a reusable shopping bag inside her shopping cart, and then didn't pay for those items when using the self check-out, the report stated.

She later pleaded no contest in court to charges of petit theft and was ordered to six months of probation," E! News reported.

During an appearance on Good Morning America Tuesday, Larson, 28, said seeing the mugshot and accompanying report surface online made her feel "liberated."

"When initially the story broke I called my dad, of course, and he's like, 'How do you feel?' and I'm like, 'I feel liberated,'" she said. "Everything's exposed! I can tell my future husband, 'Google me — I have no secrets to hide.'"

Larson has certainly made a name for herself on this season of The Bachelor, regularly referring to herself as "the queen" and making it clear that she isn't on the show to make friends.

On GMA, she addressed her tendency to use harsh words and pick fights with her fellow contestants.

RELATED: The Bachelor's Victoria Larson Speaks Out After Matt James' Friend Body Shames Her in Golf Video

"They knew me and knew my heart and knew that I never really have ill intent," she said of the other women. "So I think they viewed it differently, just because they know me."

"It was all in good fun," she claimed. "If my words or actions hurt anyone, I sincerely apologize and I'll do better and hold myself accountable. I'm not a bully — I'm really not."

She went on to say that her performance on the reality series has led to her receive death threats from viewers, something she described as "shocking."

"I anticipated being well-received, so to get the bullying messages and the hate mail and the death threats, I wasn't really prepared for that at all," Larson said.

The Bachelor airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC.