Warner Bros., the production company behind "The Bachelorette," has denied having had any knowledge that one of this season's contestants had been accused of sexual assault.
Lincoln Adim, who can still be seen on the show, was convicted of indecent assault and battery last month, the press secretary for the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office in Massachusetts confirmed to ABC News.
Press Secretary Jake Wark said in a statement that Adim was found guilty on May 21 of groping a woman on a harbor cruise ship nearly two years prior.
"He was sentenced to one year in a house of correction, with that term suspended for a two-year probationary period. The judge ordered him to stay away from the victim and attend three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week during those two years," Wark stated. "If he complies with the judge’s orders, he will not have to serve out his term, but if he fails to comply with those orders or re-offends, he could be ordered to serve out the year behind bars. By law, he is expected to register as a sex offender."
(MORE: 'Bachelorette' contestant apologizes for 'offensive' social media activity)On Thursday, a representative for Warner Bros. told ABC News in a statement that no "Bachelorette" producers knew about the incident or the charges when they cast Adim. The statement also claimed that Adim "denied ever having engaged in or having been charged with any sexual misconduct."
"We employ a well-respected and highly experienced third party who has done thousands of background checks consistent with industry standards to do a nationwide background check in this case. The report we received did not reference any incident or charge relating to the recent conviction - or any other charges relating to sexual misconduct," the statement read. "We are currently investigating why the report did not contain this information, which we will share when we have it."
A representative for ABC, the network that airs the reality show, stated that ABC does not comment on production-related inquiries.
Questions about the reality show's vetting process came to light last month when suitor Garrett Yrigoyen, who received the "first impression rose" from Bachelorette Becca Kufrin in this season's premiere, apologized for having "liked" offensive memes on Instagram seemingly before he became a public figure. According to screenshots published by The Huffington Post, Yrigoyen, 29, "liked" memes that mocked feminists, immigrants and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student David Hogg, among others.
"I am sorry to those who I offended and I also take full responsibility for my 'likes' on Instagram that were hurtful and offensive," he wrote. "I never realized the power behind a mindless double tap on Instagram and how it bears so much weight on people's lives. I did not mean any harm by any of it. My Instagram 'likes' were not a true reflection of me and my morals."
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