A 43-year old man accused of being married to multiple women across multiple states will be released pending trial.
Michael Middleton, who appeared in Strafford County Superior Court on Friday, was ordered to pay $1,000 cash bail, wear an ankle bracelet with GPS tracking ability, and have no contact with any of his wives.
Middleton made headlines across the country last month when the man dubbed the “Cupid of Chaos” was arrested in Ohio on charges of bigamy.
Law enforcement in New Hampshire have been looking for Middleton since 2014, when they were first alerted that he may be legally married to more than one person.
Marriage licenses allegedly show Middleton married to at least three women, including a woman from Exeter, New Hampshire, a woman from Georgia, a woman from Alabama, as well as a possible fourth bride in Ohio.
During Friday’s bail hearing, prosecutors argued that Middleton, who was wearing a Strafford County Department of Corrections jumpsuit and leg shackles, was a flight risk with a history of physical abuse toward women, as well as multiple alcohol-related vehicular charges.
He’s been a fugitive from justice on multiple occasions, and failed to disclose his whereabouts to a Dover detective in 2016 when reached over the telephone.
Dover Police Sergeant Matthew Travaglini testified that during that phone call with Middleton, the defendant stated that he believed he had divorced two prior wives.
Middleton did not speak during the hearing. He’s represented by a public defender.
He faces up to seven years in prison on felony bigamy charges. He’s also facing domestic violence charges in Maine. Middleton will remain in custody until he can provide an address deemed suitable by the court system.
