Even With "Good Behavior," the Chrisleys' Days in Prison Will Last a Long Time
Mar. 27 2023, Updated 3:21 p.m. ET
One thing that was not on our 2022 bingo card was Todd and Julie Chrisley getting arrested and convicted. The reality television stars, who rose to enough fame to have their own series, Chrisley Knows Best, were found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion in November 2022. Now, the Chrisleys have begun living out their sentences.
Todd was sentenced to 12 years behind bars; Julie was sentenced to seven. The Bureau of Prisons revealed that Todd is spending his sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Fla., while Julie is at a federal medical center in Lexington, Ky. But can the Chrisleys get out of prison early, perhaps for good behavior?
The Chrisleys can get out of prison slightly early, but they won’t be released any time soon.
Because the Chrisleys were arrested for federal crimes, they’ll be unable to get out of prison on parole or good behavior. In 1987, Congress eliminated parole for defendants convicted of federal crimes, so there’s no way the Chrisleys could get out of prison with a parole agreement.
Even still, federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, who has no ties to the Chrisleys or their case, told PEOPLE, “[85% of their sentence is] the minimum they're going to have to serve if they're model inmates. Unlike states where inmates can sometimes serve less than even half of their sentence, under federal statutes, you only get a slight reduction for good behavior."
This means that even if they are on their best behavior, Todd and Julie will be behind bars for at least ten and six years, respectively.
While many Chrisley Knows Best fans were shocked at the outcome of the trials, Rahmani theorizes that they were served with “high sentences” because "they didn't accept any responsibility, even after they were convicted." Even now, the Chrisleys still maintain their innocence despite the evidence stacked against them.
After Season 10 of Chrisley Knows Best ends, we doubt we'll see the Chrisleys anytime soon.