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Television
ByAbron Ards
The following article includes mentions of drug addiction, domestic violence, and mental health struggles.
Since its premiere in January 2018, "Love After Lockup" has become a staple in the world of reality TV. The showdocuments the lives of couples who havebegun a romantic relationship while one partner is incarcerated. The challenge for these pairings is to try and successfully manage their blossoming romance in the real world once the incarcerated partner is released. Quite a doozy of an entertainment concept, the breakout serieswas the "fastest-growing new cable reality series for 2018," pera WEtv network press release.
With Season 4 premiering in March 2022, the show's popularity with viewers has continued to grow, even launching two spinoffs: "Life After Lockup" in June 2019 and "Love During Lockup," which premiered in January 2022. Because the main draw of the OG series is the uncommon circ*mstances in which the couples have met, the question viewers perhaps ask themselves most often is: "Which couple will make it and which couple won't?"
Let's take a look back at some of the most recognizable couples from "Love After Lockup" to see where they are now.
Clint Brady and Tracie Wagaman
Clint Brady and Tracie Wagaman were introduced during the second season of "Love After Lockup" and quickly became one of the more intriguing couples to watch. They got married 24 hours after Tracie's release from prison. The morning after, Clint's fantasy had come to an end as hewoke up to find Tracie gone, along with his credit cards, phone, and rental car. This moment led to one of the most quotable sayings from the series, whichClint professed to his mom over the phone: "It's motherf***ing crack."
Tracie ended up in prison again and was eventually released — sheand Clint even gave their relationship another shot, remarrying in Las Vegasin 2019, per Starcasm. However, in part due to Tracie's substance use, the couple experienced a slew of ups and downs that led to their seemingly inevitable divorcethe following year.
Clint, having had his own struggles with alcohol and drug use, as well as serving stints in jail due to DUI and driving on a suspended license,relocated to Ohio. At the time of this writing, he isdating a woman named Genevieve Bailey. Meanwhile, Tracie moved to Las Vegas and started dating a fellow inmate, Lucas Loera, with whom she welcomed one child. Sadly, People reports thatTracie, who also dealt with a condition calledatherosclerotic heart disease, died at the age of 41 in July 2021, just one week after giving birth to their daughter. Her cause of death was accidental methamphetamine toxicity.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Angela Ables and Tony Wood
Angela Ables isa mental health therapist from Grenada, Mississippi. She, along with her boyfriend, inmate Tony Wood, was one of the first people introduced to viewers during the premiere season of "Love After Lockup." Although they were in contact during Season 1, with Angela preparing for Tony's reentry into society, it wasn't until Season 2 — when Tony was officially released from prison — that they started their relationship in the real world. Many of Angela's friends and family were skeptical of Tony, suspecting that he was using Angela for money. Nevertheless, despite the reservations, Angela and Tony got married in an episode of "Life After Lockup."
Their wedding bliss, however, was sadly short-lived due to Tony's apparent bouts of infidelity and lying. Angela oftenconfronted her man about his alleged indiscretions. Although they have since split up, they have not officially divorced, as of this writing. When the on-again, off-again couplegave an update to WE tv on the status of their relationship in January 2022, Tony explained, "I'm currently separated from Angela and working on a divorce." Angela, claiming she'd covered upward of $10,000 of Tony's debt both during his time behind bars and afterward, noted, "I've spent enough money on Tony. ... If Tony wants a damn divorce, he can pay for the damn thing."
Andrea Edwards and Lamar Jackson
Similar to Angela Ables and Tony Wood, viewers met Andrea Edwards and Lamar Jacksonduring Season 1. This "Love After Lockup" couple started out as pen pals while Lamar was in prison for armed robbery. Together, they have one daughter named Priscilla, whowas conceived in a prison broom closetdue to the couple not being married at the time. Andrea kept this secret from her family and friends for years due to her strong Mormon faith. Going on to appear on "Life After Lockup," she and Lamar were officially married in a traditional ceremony at their home in Los Angeles once he was released from prison.
Lamar's refusal to move to Andrea's home state of Utah — due to his parole requirements plus his reservations of there not being enough Black people in the area — led tothe family relocating to Los Angeles, which Andrea seemingly complained about often. After a series of challenges stemming from Andrea not feeling safe in Los Angeles andher issues with Lamar's oldest daughter from a previous relationship, to their religious differences and relationship expectations, they've survived those tough times and have improved their communication and trust issues.
At the time of this writing, Andrea and Lamar are still married and told Screen Rantin 2020how they were coping during the COVID-19 lockdown. Noting that "work, patience, and time" are how they got through their relationship struggles, Lamar said that the longevity of their relationship compared to other "Love After Lockup" pairings made them feel "like a success."
John Miller and Kristianna Roth
John Miller and Kristianna Rothmet on a prison dating website. To the objection of his oldest daughter, John married Kristianna in a Native American ceremony immediately after she was released from prison. Their wedding bliss was short-lived, however, as Kristianna was required to immediately report to a halfway house as part of her parole stipulations. When Kristiannarelapsedon her drug addiction and ran away from the halfway house, she violated her parole and was subsequently sent back to prison.
After completing her latest stint in prison, John and Kristianna appeared on "Life After Lockup," where they remarried in a traditional Western ceremony — fulfilling Kristianna's dream of wearing a white gown and having her son present. The two appeared to be doing well until Kristianna was caught on the house surveillance camera leaving with a stranger. She had been gone for two weeks before John shared this information with producers. He seemed visibly perturbed, fearing that she may relapse again.
According to her Facebook page, Kristianna and John eventually reunited and were still together in early January 2022. However, her relationship status later changed to "single," and amid the news of their breakup, Johndeleted his Facebook account, writing in part, "It's just too complicated" (via Starcasm).Followers of Kristianna began to notice her selling random items on her page around this time, and in February 2022, it was revealed that she'd beenarrested for second-degree burglary. Witha Tentative Discharge Date/Supervision Discharge Date set for 2023, it's unclear whether or not she's behind bars, as of this writing.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Marcelino Santiago and Brittany Santiago
Marcelino Santiago and Brittany Santiagoare one of the most successful couples in the franchise. Since their introduction in Season 2 of "Love After Lockup," they have captured the hearts of viewers. As the survivor of a troubled childhood and abandonment, Brittany lived a not-so-ideal life for a kid. Allegedly taken advantage of by adults in her life, she was used to commit crimes for those who did not have her best interest at heart. Poor decisions led to multiple stints in prison, and it was in prison where she met, fell in love with, and eventually married her now-husband, Marcelino, in 2018.
Their life as a couple proved quite captivating to audiences as they faced multiple challenges. From Brittany's custody battle with Tito– the father of her son, Giovanni — toconfronting her mom, this pairing always gave viewers something to look forward to. They've also had a few celebratory moments, as well. What seems to have drawn audiences to their love story is their relatability. Having watched them overcome obstacles through their love for each other and a shared dedication to their family, these two have served as an example of taking advantage of second chances and making the most out of your opportunities.
Marcelino and Brittany are still married and share three children, as of this writing. With a career inreal estate, Brittany published a memoir titled "One Woman's Journey: Surviving the Streets." Together, she and Marcelino have sharedplans for an inpatient/outpatient facility for ex-cons, providing job training, education, and mental health services.
Lacey Whitlow, John Slater, and Shane Whitlow
WhileLacey Whitlow and John Slater(pictured) were high school sweethearts, his drug use and prison stints became a constant struggle for the two. Although they were engaged, John's apparently controlling nature — even in prison — was an issue for Lacey, andshe began a relationship with inmate Shane Whitlow. When Shane was released from prison, he was paroled at Lacey's house, and the two continued their relationship.
Fans will recall how Lacey's vacillating throughout the series between the two men led to several fights and confrontations that were quite drama-filled. But ultimately, she picked Shane — thus ending her relationship with John. Lacey and Shane later married and welcomed a baby girl in March 2021, which was documented on the spinoff "Life After Lockup," per Life & Style. However, she later expressed regret for marrying Shane as she grew suspicious thathe may have been cheating on her. From there, viewers got to see the rocky ups and downs of their relationship play out on television. Describing their marriage as "trial and error," per Screen Rant, Lacey temporarily reconnected with John — although not for long, as she then decided to give her marriage to Shane a fair shot.
That December, Lacey shared in a now-deleted Instagram post that Shane was "missing," and revealed that he was found "mentally incapacitated" 24 hours later (via InTouch). Shortly after, Lacey posted a video of the couple's daughter,confirming in the caption written to Shane, "I'll always be here even though we aren't together."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
Caitlin Gainer and Matt Frasier
No pairing seemingly exemplifies the struggles and complications couples often face on"Love After Lockup"more thanCaitlin Gainer and Matt Frasier. After seeing his pictures in a Craigslist ad, Caitlin was convinced that Matt was the man for her. While Matt was incarcerated for the majority of their courtship, meaning they'd gotten roughly 30 hours of in-person time together before his release, Caitlin was determined to give the relationship her all.
Unfortunately, her hopes were quickly dashed once Caitlin started to see Matt's true nature: His apparent inability to get a job and an apartment was the reality check she didn't see coming.Not too long after his release, Matt found himself back behind bars for allegedpossession of a stolen vehicle. Caitlin grew increasingly frustrated with Matt when his only concern seemed to be if she would bail him out,rather than what actions he would take to change his behavior. In addition to his recidivism and "Peter Pan Syndrome," Matt's alcohol and meth use was yet another thorn in his relationship with Caitlin, and she ultimately ended things.
Since then, she has moved on and appears to be in a happier, healthier relationship with a man named Jake Bohl. Matt, however, has become a repeat offender: Having been arrested multiple times, his most recent legal trouble consisted of eight charges, including first degree assault and burglary, per Starcasm. In February 2022, he was sentenced to nearly 38 years in prison.
Amber Eggers, Vincent Gonzalez, and Puppy Deaton
Amber Eggers and Michelle "Puppy" Deaton were incarcerated together whenthe former started a relationship with Vince Gonzalez(pictured). They seemed like a promising and compatible match at first, but after her release, Amber and Vincent's admittedly "awkward" first kissand lack of in-person chemistry told a different story. Moreover, Amber's apparent ambivalence toward Vincent was seemingly due to an elaborate scam she planned on him along with her mother and her on-and-off partner, Puppy, per Heavy. Although Vince was aware of Puppy and how she and Amber referred to each other as "wifey," he was unaware of their intentions.
"After using Vincent to buy a new mattress and even procure a nice life for herself and her previous inmate, Puppy, the two split," Screen Rant recapped.With Vincent out of the picture, Amber moved on, getting a job, her own place, and working hard to keep herself on the right track. She reunited with Puppyfollowing her release,but Puppy's hopes of reconciling their relationship outside of prison proved challenging. Puppy's apparent lack of ambition to stay out of trouble, as well as her refusal to turn herself in for violating her parole, caused further issues for the couple, leading Amber to call it quits.
While Amber appears happy living life on the straight and narrow these days,Puppy was unfortunatelyarrested on theft and drug trafficking chargesin 2021. Meanwhile, Vincentmoved on with a woman named Jeritaand announced their engagement in 2020. However, they split following a domestic battery incident which resulted in Vincent's arrest that fall.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Cheryl Childers and Josh Hyatt
After contacting him while working on a school project about serial killers, Cheryl Childers and Josh Hyatt started corresponding, and eventually, a longtime relationship began. While they were already together for two years by the time of his release, Josh and Cheryl had a tough time adjusting as a couple out in the real world. Cheryl's family had many reservations about Josh, and his mom's apparent disdain for Cheryl only made matters worse. It seems as though this "Love After Lockup" couple didn't have a fighting chance of survival, and the two ultimately broke upin a 2020 episode.
In addition to telling cameras that their "relationship ha[d] been up and down every day for the entire time [they've] been together," Josh referred to Cheryl as both "psycho" and "delusional"on social media.Cheryl, in return, said in a talking head, "When Josh was released, he was still all about us. He treated me like a queen. He told me over and over and over again, 'You are the only woman that's ever been there for me.' And because he's not locked up anymore, he ... [doesn't] need me." She also accused Josh of having an incestuous relationship with his mother onFacebook.
Since then, Josh got a puppy he called "[his] new girl" (via Screen Rant) and wrote"a story about street justice" called"Message in Blood," per the book's blurb on Amazon. Following a short-lived relationship of her own, Cheryl appears to have shifted her focus to her children rather than her romantic life.
Shawn Osborne, Destinie Folsom, and Sara Isaac
The relationship between Shawn Osborne and Destinie Folsom (pictured) seemed dubious from the get-go. Only together for nine months, Shawn was certain that she was the "love of his life," per Heavy. Shawn's friends, however, were convinced that Destinie was "catfish[ing]" himdue to the two never having met in person. After her release, Destinie moved in with Shawn, and that was the beginning of the end of their relationship. Already having spent $50,000 on her bond, Destinie seemed to be money hungry,demanding access to Shawn's credit card.
Nevertheless, the two became engaged, but hit an even lower point when Shawn introduced Destinie to Kelly — the mother of his six children. During the resulting explosive interaction, Shawn sided with Destinie, telling Kelly (via the Daily Mail), "Me and Destinie are together. We're engaged. We're going to get married, so this is gonna have to stop." But the united front was not enough, as the couple's unsolvable issues resulted in the demise of the relationship.
Shawn began pursuing another inmate, Sara Isaac, during "Life After Lockup," whom he similarly met in person following her release. Despite initially facing challenges of their own, such as both not sharing vital info about their pasts, Shawn and Sara's relationship blossomed. In 2021, Starcasm reported that the couple was expecting their first child together, having officially tied the knot on August 24 of that year. Meanwhile, Destinie got hitched to a man named Jason, whom she met while in prison before agreeing to be with Shawn exclusively.
Rachel and Doug Howard Jr.
"Love After Lockup" starsRachel and Doug Howard Jr. married while he was still an inmate, with Rachel maintaining custody of Doug's son, Dougie. After his release, Doug moved in with Rachel and things began to slowly unravel: Problems found the couple in the form of Doug's seemingly controlling nature and emotional neglect of his son — choosing to give tough love — despite Rachel's pleas for him to use a softer approach with Dougie.
During a family reunion, Doug's sister revealed to Rachel that he would cheat on her eventually because it's allegedly in his nature. Unfortunately, that warning proved true as Doug's infidelity caused the relationship to end. No longer seeing the relationship as a "fairytale,"she said to WEtv producers, "That's the hardest part, knowing that I never had a relationship, I never had a marriage, never gave it a chance. Yeah, without a doubt in my mind, he had no feelings for me."
According toScreen Rant, Rachel claimedthat Doug had been cheating throughout the duo's short-lived marriage. While Doug — who has since started a new relationship– and his son moved out of the house, Doug was arrested again in August 2021 for alleged drug distribution and resisting arrest. In November 2021,Starcasmreported that he was facing a total of 11 felony charges.Rachel and Doug are officially divorced and, at the time of this writing, she is the legal guardian of Dougie. However, Doug has since launched acustody battle.
Shavel Moore and Quaylon Adams
Shavel Moore met Quaylon Adams during the last two years of his 12-year prison sentence. While in prison, the two discussed their future, with plans to marry and start a family. Quaylon agreed to live with Shavelin Kansas City, Missouri after his release, but also made the same commitment to his mother, who lived in Houston, Texas. Viewers started to see that Quaylon, having been incarcerated since he was 17, started showing signs of disengagement from Shavel,admittingon "Love After Lockup"that he was "still adjusting [to] being around Shavel 24/7." To make matters worse, both of their families seemed to further exacerbate the already brewing issues between the couple by encouraging them not to get too serious.
Feeling more and more isolated from him, Shavel ended the relationship after finding text exchanges on Quaylon's phone between himself and another woman. After some time apart, they reunited, and Quaylon proposed, to the disapproval of Shavel's cousin, DMark.The relationship came to an explosive end when Quaylon found text exchanges on Shavel's phone with another man, apparently from back when they were not together.
In an interview with "The Domenick Nati Show" in February 2021, Quaylon shared that he and Shavel weren't together, but were "at a point in our life where it's shaky and we're trying to figure it out." While promoting her book "Jail Lies" onPower 105.1the following month, Shavel announced their engagement, saying of the next steps in their relationship, "It's not easy but we're taking our time."
Michael Simmons, Sarah Simmons, and Megan Nash
We've covered a few three-way relationships within the franchise, but the original "love triangle" of "Love After Lockup" was that ofMichael Simmons, Sarah Simmons, and Megan Nash. Michael, who was legally married to Sarah (pictured), began a relationship with Megan while incarcerated. After his release, Michael remained intimate with both women, becoming Megan's first-ever lover and impregnating Sarah for the second time, per Reality TV World. During a visit with Megan, Michael found himself late to a meeting with his parole officer and was arrested again. When Sarah, as his wife, was informed of the arrest, she learned of Megan's existence — leading toa confrontation.
Viewers would later see a back and forth between the three play out on "Life After Lockup." Megan and Sarah repeatedly claimed to be done with Michael, but seemingly couldn't resist his charm. Ultimately, Megan and Michael ended their relationship, and she has since moved on with a new man. Michael and Sarah's relationship, however, is a bit more complicated. Through Sarah's attempts to move onandMichael's repeat trips to prison, the two don't appear to be together, as of this writing,but have continued to co-parent their two children, per Soap Dirt. Sarah has sincegraduated from college, and in October 2021, she shared the following quote on Instagram,"I got everything I need, it feels so right. Clear my conscience, forgive me & get my soul right."
Michael, meanwhile,was arrested that December in Florida for allegedly "live streaming a series of antics" while in traffic, according to Starcasm.
