Wikimedia CommonsVincent Don Vito Margera became a fan favorite for his appearances on Viva La Bam and Jackass.For years, Vincent Margera made millions of MTV viewers laugh as Don Vito, the foul-mouthed, often unintelligible uncle on Viva La Bam. More often the target of Bam Margeras pranks than the one pulling them, he became one of the most recognizable personalities in the Jackass franchise.But in August 2006, Margeras television career came to an abrupt end when he was accused of inappropriately touching three pre-teen girls during a skateboarding event at a Colorado mall.A jury later convicted Margera of sexually assaulting two of the girls. The case not only ended his time in the spotlight but also resulted in one of modern historys most unusual criminal sentences: A judge barred him from portraying Don Vito, the reality TV persona that had made him famous.So, how did a beloved television personality become a convicted sex offender? This is the story of Vincent Don Vito Margera and the crime that destroyed his career.Becoming A Reality TV StarLong before MTV audiences knew him as Don Vito, Vincent Roy Margera lived a quiet life in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Born on July 3, 1956, he was the older brother of Phil Margera, whose son Bam would later become one of the biggest stars of MTVs Jackass era. Vincent never married and spent most of his life out of the spotlight.That changed in the late 1990s when Bam launched the CKY (Camp Kill Yourself) video series, a mix of skateboarding, dangerous stunts, pranks, and crude comedy that developed a cult following. Vincent Margera occasionally appeared alongside Bams friends and family, though he was usually the victim of the groups pranks rather than the one carrying them out.Despite having no acting experience, Margera quickly became a stand-out character. He earned the nickname Don Vito because his slurred and often unintelligible speech brought to mind Vito Corleone from The Godfather. Entertainment Tonight/YouTubeVincent Margera and his nephew, Bam Margera, entertained MTV audiences with their pranks in the early 2000s.When MTV turned Jackass into a hit series in 2000, Bams popularity exploded. Three years later, the network gave him his own spin-off, Viva La Bam, transforming Vincent Margera from a quirky family member into one of reality televisions most recognizable personalities.The show frequently mocked his speech, even adding intentionally nonsensical subtitles because viewers often couldnt understand what he was saying. Episodes also poked fun at his appearance and mannerisms, leading some to question whether the humor had crossed into exploitation.Despite the criticism, Don Vito became a fan favorite. As his popularity grew, Vincent Margera appeared in other projects, including rapper Redmans music video for Put It Down and the direct-to-DVD film Dunn and Vitos Rock Tour with fellow Jackass star Ryan Dunn.But as Don Vitos fame grew, Vincent Margeras personal life began to unravel.The Sexual Assault Allegations Against Don VitoOn Aug. 18, 2006, Margera attended a skateboarding event and autograph signing at Colorado Mills Mall in Lakewood, Colorado. But what began as a routine promotional appearance quickly went wrong. Witnesses later reported that Margera was heavily intoxicated and behaved inappropriately throughout the event.Margera then reportedly fondled three girls, including two 12-year-olds. Police arrested him shortly after and charged him with multiple counts of sexual assault on a child.The allegations made national headlines because of Margeras role on Viva La Bam and his connection to the Jackass franchise. Prosecutors argued that his behavior was fueled by extreme intoxication.This man was out of control during this public event, prosecutor Jim Stanley told jurors, as reported by the Denver Post in 2007. He was so intoxicated that he peed his pants while with these children.Jefferson County Sheriffs OfficeVincent Don Vito Margera reportedly fondled the breasts and buttocks of three young girls in 2006.Margeras trial began in October 2007. Represented by attorney Pamela Mackey who had previously defended Kobe Bryant in his sexual assault case Margera did not deny that inappropriate contact had occurred. Instead, the defense argued that Margera had simply been acting as his television persona, Don Vito.Mackey described Don Vito as a loud, vulgar, and physically expressive benign bumbler whose exaggerated television behavior may have been misunderstood off-screen. But the jurors rejected that argument. They convicted Margera on two counts of sexual assault on a child while acquitting him on a third count.When the verdict was read, Margera collapsed in the courtroom, Denver news station KUSA reported at the time.MTV/IMDbVincent Margera in an episode of Viva La Bam.You might as well kill me now! he shouted, as he thrashed around on the floor.He fell hard enough that everyone court security, deputies rushed over to make sure he was alright, Pam Russell of the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office later recalled. Then he began to flail, move his arms and legs and yell statements, just in general to the court, that sort of thing, about his guilt or innocence angry statements, including some expletives.Although Margera faced the possibility of years behind bars, a judge instead sentenced him to 10 years of probation and ordered him to register as a sex offender and seek treatment for alcoholism. But the most unusual part of his sentence had nothing to do with prison or probation.Vincent Margeras Final Years And DeathIn addition to his main sentence, a judge also barred Vincent Margera from publicly portraying Don Vito for the duration of his probation.This restriction was remarkable because Don Vito wasnt a fictional character he was simply an exaggerated version of Vincent Margera himself. The court concluded that continuing to perform the persona could interfere with his rehabilitation.The ruling effectively ended Margeras television career. Producers removed his appearances from the upcoming movie Jackass Number Two, and Don Vito never returned to the spotlight.After his conviction, Margera largely disappeared from public life. Then, in October 2015, he collapsed at his home in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He fell into a coma, briefly regained consciousness, and then died from liver and kidney failure on Nov. 15, 2015, at age 59.RIP Don Vito. You will be missed. pic.twitter.com/YwhNdAAPA8 Johnny Knoxville (@realjknoxville) November 15, 2015 Margeras death closed the final chapter on one of the most recognizable personalities of MTVs Jackass era. As Don Vito, he became a cult television figure known for his slurred speech, outrageous behavior, and his role as the frequent target of Bam Margeras pranks.But his legacy also reflects the darker side of early reality television. Even the court struggled to separate Margera from the character he portrayed: Where did Don Vito end and Vincent Margera begin?After reading about the life and crimes of Vincent Margera, discover some of vintage Hollywoods biggest scandals. Then, go inside the tragic death of Ryan Dunn.The post Vincent Margera, The <em>Jackass</em> Star Who Was Cut From The Franchise For Assaulting Young Girls appeared first on All That's Interesting.