Ava Grace May – Baltimore County, MD — A Baltimore County Circuit Court judge entered an order of default on January 20, 2026, against backstage actress Ava Grace May in a defamation lawsuit filed by Frederick-based YouTuber Levi Trumbull. The case centers on Instagram posts Ava May published in September 2025, in which she accused Trumbull of “stalking” and “harassment”—allegations the complaint characterizes as “objectively false and provably so.”
The legal dispute began on September 15, 2025, when May posted statements to her Instagram account @avagmay_, which had approximately 1,500 followers. According to the complaint filed on December 8, 2025, May wrote of the YouTuber: “THIS GUY HAS BEEN STALKING ME” and “And then harassed me and my family for months.” She also claimed Trumbull was “10 years older than me,” though court documents establish the actual age difference as only FIVE years.
Trumbull, 26, operates a YouTube channel with approximately 118,000 subscribers focused on government accountability and social commentary. May, 21, describes herself on social media as “spreading good weirdness around the world” and creates content across Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify platforms.
The parties’ relationship began professionally in August 2024 when May responded to Trumbull’s casting call seeking an on-camera personality for his YouTube productions. According to the complaint, after multiple phone conversations, Trumbull selected May for the role on August 20, 2024, sending her an offer letter.
The complaint details a meeting on August 21, 2024, at a Starbucks in Frederick, Maryland, where Trumbull provided May with contractual documents and $100 in cash “as a courtesy to the role, to help offset any initial minimal travel expenses.” However, May declined to sign the documents at that meeting, stating she needed time to review them. The complaint alleges May promised to return the materials but never did.
After May failed to return the documents or the advance payment despite multiple requests, their professional relationship ended. Trumbull replaced May with another candidate and moved forward with his production schedule. Trumbull would later sue May in small claims court for the return of such property.
The situation escalated in September, 2025 when May released a song titled “Astral Stalking” on streaming platforms. The complaint describes the song as depicting “themes of feeling pursued or monitored by an individual.” On September 13, 2025, Trumbull sent May an email titled “The High Road,” offering to resolve matters privately.
The email stated: “I am reaching out in attempt to take the high road before I respond to some of your recent actions.” Trumbull gave May 48 hours to respond. She never replied. Trumbull stated he had received communications the strong was targeted at him.
Two days later, on September 15, 2025, Trumbull published a YouTube video addressing the situation, which he labeled as “Opinion, Satire, & Parody” in the description. The video criticized May’s publicly available content using terms like “weird” and “cringy”—descriptors the complaint notes May herself uses to describe her own persona.
That same evening at approximately 9:53 PM, May posted her Instagram statements accusing Trumbull of stalking and harassment. The complaint alleges these accusations constitute “defamation per se” under Maryland law because they falsely accuse Trumbull of criminal conduct.
Significantly, less than twelve hours after making these accusations, May posted additional Instagram stories stating Trumbull’s video “did not hurt” her and was “f*cking hilariously bad” and “gives me recognition.” The complaint characterizes these statements as “devastating to any defense” because they contradict her claims of being genuinely harmed or frightened.
On September 16, 2025, Trumbull sent May a formal cease-and-desist letter demanding she retract her statements by September 25, 2025. The letter cited Maryland case law including Batson v. Shiflett and explained why May’s statements constituted defamation per se. May did not respond.
Also, on September 16, May filed a peace order petition against Trumbull in Baltimore County District Court. The complaint notes the timing suggests “a retaliatory motive,” as the filing came after Trumbull’s cease-and-desist letter. May failed to properly serve Trumbull on four separate occasions, resulting in continued hearings. On October 8, 2025, May voluntarily withdrew the petition. The court later granted Trumbull’s motion to EXPUNGE the peace order.
On November 19, 2025, Trumbull sent May a comprehensive demand letter via certified mail, giving her until December 5, 2025, to post a public retraction and written apology. The letter offered a mutual release if she complied. May again did not respond.
Trumbull filed his complaint on December 8, 2025, in Baltimore County Circuit Court, Private process server Anthony Tyler Jarboe personally served May at her Lutherville Timonium residence on December 10, 2025, at approximately 7:12 PM. Under Maryland Rule 2-321(a), May had thirty days to file an answer—a deadline that passed on January 9, 2026.
Trumbull filed his Motion for Entry of Order of Default on January 16, 2026, accompanied by a memorandum, declaration, and SCRA compliance documentation showing May is not in military service. The motion noted May’s “pattern of deliberate non-responsiveness” and stated she had “no intention of participating in this litigation.”
Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge entered the order of default on January 20, 2026, finding May “failed to plead or otherwise defend as required by the Maryland Rules of Civil Procedure.” The order allows Trumbull to proceed with a hearing on damages under Maryland Rule 2-613(b).
The complaint seeks general damages of at least $30,000, an order requiring May to publish a retraction and apology, a permanent injunction preventing further defamatory statements, pre- and post-judgment interest, and costs of suit.
Trumbull’s complaint details harm including harassing messages from May’s followers, reputational damage to his professional standing, emotional distress, and forced removal of his YouTube video due to harassment.
Neither party is represented by legal counsel. Trumbull is proceeding pro se, while May has not appeared in the case despite proper service and notice.
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GEOLOCATION: Baltimore, Maryland, USA