A Modesto man appeared on TLC’s ‘90 Day Fiancé’ TV spinoff. It didn’t go as he expected

Modesto resident Tyray Mollett signed up to be on a spinoff of the popular reality series “90 Day Fiancé,” but given what has happened so far, he easily could have been cast on another popular reality show: “Catfish.”

The 33-year-old Davis High alum appears in the new season of the TLC channel franchise “90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days,” which follows international couples with 90-day visas allowing foreign nationals to marry U.S. citizens. Mollett stars in the spinoff series, which started in 2016 and follows international couples who met online as the American partners travel to their fiancés’ countries for the first time before starting the visa process.

Mollett is among a handful of couples featured this season, which debuted June 3 and is three episodes into its 18-episode run. But already, Mollett’s storyline has made an impression and revealed some sensitive and potentially embarrassing information, as producers dropped an unexpected bombshell on the longtime Modesto resident in the season premiere.

But first, a little background. Mollett grew up in Modesto and graduated from Davis High in 2007. The self-described ukulele fan, chocoholic and virgin works as a full-time caregiver for his mother. She has lived with him in his one-bedroom apartment since suffering a stroke after having surgery to remove a rare brain tumor.

Valley man had virtual relationship with woman in Barbados

Four years ago, Mollett met a woman online from Barbados named Carmella and they started a virtual relationship, primarily over Snapchat. He described his 37-year-old fiancée, whom to that point he had only texted and shared pictures with, as “Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion combined.”

Then during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he started watching “90 Day Fiancé” and in April 2021 decided to apply to be on the show. But producers didn’t move forward with him for that season, so he figured he missed his shot.

“When they didn’t contact me back, I was happy, actually. I really don’t like the spotlight, I’m pretty low key and like to hang out in the back,” he said, “So I thought, ‘You know what, that’s the probably the best decision anyway.’”

But then, in August 2022, producers reached back out asking if he still was interested in being on the show. Mollett decided to go ahead with the show, which has compensated him for joining the cast. He said he thought it would be interesting to share his love story with Carmella on national television.

Interesting, it turns out, was an understatement. And now, back to that bombshell.

Well-known Modesto landmarks featured on TLC reality series

Last August, crews came to Modesto to begin filming Mollett’s story. They filmed in the region through the fall and winter, wrapping this February. Crews captured many of Modesto’s landmarks which appear on screen, including the arch, McHenry Mansion and Gallo Center for the Arts.

Mollett was excited to share about his girlfriend. But at the end of the first episode, producers told Mollett that Carmella wasn’t who she said she was. In fact, she was a man named Christian and he had been catfished.

The term refers to the practice of catfishing, when someone creates a fake virtual personality to start an online relationship under false pretenses. An MTV reality series by the same name has been on air since 2012.

Since the revelation, Mollett has continued to appear on the show and has been working out his complicated feelings — shock, denial and everything else — on camera.

That included telling his family members, who weren’t aware of his online relationship. The second episode features Mollett revealing his situation to his brother and sister, Ronald and Lashanti. The trio met at downtown Modesto’s Mocha Magic, which is featured prominently.

Mocha Magic owner said customers recognized her cafe

Cafe owner Maria Apodaca said producers reached out to her in September asking if they could use the 16th Street bakery and coffee shop to film. A month later, they spent four to five hours filming Mollett’s conversation with his siblings inside, and then came back again the another day for some extra shots.

Apodaca said while she’d heard of “90 Day Fiancé,” she’d never watched. She agreed to the filming because she thought it would be “fun” for the shop to be on national television. The cafe remained open as the TLC crew of more than half a dozen worked, but the area where Mollett and his family were seated was blocked off.

She posted about the experience on Facebook after the episode aired. “I’m surprised how many people recognized us (from the scene),” Apodaca said. “So far, feedback has been great, it’s apparently a really popular show. I thought it was great.”

Feedback for Mollett has been more mixed, especially since subsequent episodes have shown him in some denial and holding out hope for some sort of misunderstanding instead of being outright tricked.

Still others, he said, have related to his story of a wallflower learning to connect.

“I’ve gotten a lot of nice messages from all sort of people from all over, including a lot of support from local people and in the Valley. They think it’s cool I stepped out of my comfort zone and am brave for doing it,” he said. “I’ve gotten some mean comments, too, but better not to look at them. Someone will always have something to say no matter what you do or how you do it. But everyone deserves positive encouragement.”

Local ‘90 Day’ cast member’s story continues after shocking reveal

Indeed, Mollett hints that the rest of his appearance on the show will hopefully show more positive developments. He filmed his last on-air interview for the show last month, so his story should continue this season.

Expect Mollett to even take a trip overseas to meet, well, someone. To give himself closure, he said, he wanted to stay on the show even after learning he was catfished.

“I didn’t want to let that person who catfished me win. I wanted to see if the producers were able to help me find who that person was,” he said. “If they left, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Despite the unwelcome surprise about his so-called fiancée, Mollett said he would do the show again and has a lot of respect for the crew and producers. He credits his experience with helping him to open up more to his family and friends.

As for what’s next with him, stay tuned. He said there’s “a lot more that’s going to be shown, and a lot more Modesto” yet this season. He hopes his appearance will help show Modesto in a different light, instead of the small farm town it sometimes gets characterized as in the media.

But the question remains: What is Mollett’s relationship status now?

Unsurprisingly, it’s complicated. And we’ll have to watch to find out more.

But, after filming the show, he does know a few things for sure.

“Don’t be afraid to live your life. Don’t let people judge you. And don’t take it too much to heart (if they do),” he said. “Get uncomfortable sometimes, it’s a great feeling.”

“90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days” airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on the TLC channel and streaming services Max and Discovery+.