Emily Maynard is Dating The Bachelorette's Most Dangerous Contestant Ever!

Considering the heartbreak she endured a year ago when she and Brad Womack hit the skids after he proposed to her on The Bachelor, those close to her are hoping Emily Maynard makes the right choice among her sexy suitors and finally finds happiness as the star of the new season of The Bachelorette. 

OK! NEWS: MEET THE 25 BACHELORS WHO WILL FIGHT FOR EMILY MAYNARD'S HEART ON THE BACHELORETTE

Reports in advance of the May 14 premiere indicated that Emily, 26, had bonded with Doug Clerget, 33, a commercial real estate agent based in Seattle. He has custody of a 12-year-old son, Austin, and "the fact that Doug's a single parent makes me feel like he kind of gets what I'm going through," Emily, the mom of daughter Ricki, 6, said in a preview. She added that Doug "gave me those butterflies in my stomach." 

But Star has exclusively uncovered a dark side to the 5'11", 220-lb. early-season favorite — and it's something Emily may not be aware of. 

OK! VIDEO: GET A SNEAK PEEK AT EMILY MAYNARD'S UPCOMING SEASON OF THE BACHELORETTE 

Doug had a minor brush with the law in December 2006 while attending Eastern Washington University. He was charged with third-degree theft, but the case was eventually dismissed. That pales in comparison with the events surrounding his next run-in with the authorities four years later.