Malinda Gayle McCready (November 30, 1975 - February 17, 2013) was an American country music singer. Active from 1995 until her death in 2013, she recorded a total of five studio albums. Her debut album, 1996's Ten Thousand Angels, was released on BNA Records and was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA, while 1997's If I Don't Stay the Night was certified Gold. 1999's
Legal issues
In August 2004, McCready was arrested in Tennessee for using a fake prescription to buy the painkiller OxyContin. Although she initially denied the charge, she pleaded guilty and was fined $4,000, sentenced to three years probation, and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.  In May 2005, McCready was stopped by Nashville police for speeding, then arrested and charged with driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license. A jury later found her not guilty on the charges of DUI, but guilty of driving with a suspended license. That July, she was charged in Arizona with identity theft, unlawful use of transportation, unlawful imprisonment, and hindering prosecution. An arrest warrant was issued for her the following month for violation of her probation when she left Tennessee without her probation officer's permission. She was also charged with not reporting to her probation officer during the month of July. She was finally arrested in Florida and returned to Tennessee. She faced a hearing later that year on charges of violating her probation on a drug charge by failing to check in with her probation officer and leaving the state without permission to go to Florida.  In July 2007, McCready was arrested in her hometown of Fort Myers, Florida and charged with battery and resisting arrest for an apparent scuffle with her mother. The following week, she was taken into custody at the Nashville International Airport for violating probation. In September, McCready was sentenced to a year in jail for violating probation. In addition to the jail time, she was ordered to serve two more years of probation and perform 200 additional hours of community service. She was released from jail in December.  In June 2008, McCready was arrested in Tennessee for violating the terms of her probation set in September 2007. Sentenced to 60 days in jail, McCready turned herself in on September 30, 2008. After serving half of her sentence, she was released early for good behavior on October 30, 2008.  McCready was associated with and allegedly victimized by con man Jonathan Roda. The case was featured on television's I (Almost) Got Away With It.

Q: When did her legal troubles begin?
A: In August 2004, McCready was arrested in Tennessee for using a fake prescription to buy the painkiller OxyContin.
Did she serve any jail time?
fined $4,000, sentenced to three years probation, and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.
fined $4,000, sentenced to three years probation, and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.