1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: They call it from an eight hundred number. I didn't 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: know who it was, but I answered the phone and 3 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: I heard you were getting a collect call from an 4 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: inmate County jail. That wave of dread came over me. 5 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: You have that decision to accept the call or not 6 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: accept the call. My heart sank, my stomach went into 7 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: my throat. 8 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 2: I'm under a gunning and this is Betrayal, A show 9 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 2: about the people we trust the most and the deceptions 10 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 2: that change everything. A few months ago, we heard from 11 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 2: a woman named Ashley. When our team first met Ashley, 12 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 2: she was working as a correction caseworker in a prison 13 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 2: and was pursuing her master's degree in forensic psychology. 14 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: I'm very in tune with people's emotions and how people 15 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: are feeling. I love people. I will go above and 16 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: beyond to help somebody in need. 17 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 2: Ashley's a sensitive person and the betrayal she experienced was 18 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 2: so intense it nearly broke her. It's a twisted story 19 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 2: of theft, deception, and even threats from a Mexican drug cartel. 20 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: I was sitting there thinking, who did I marry? Am 21 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: I sleeping next to somebody who would murder people? For 22 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: a cartel. 23 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 2: When we first spoke with her, I was surprised how 24 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: flatly she describes what she went through. It was almost 25 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 2: like she was divorced from emotion. So we asked her 26 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 2: about that directly. 27 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: If I let myself get emotional about it, I am 28 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: in danger of getting back to that dark place that 29 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: I don't want to find myself in. I know it's 30 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 1: not a healthy coping mechanism, but like I disassociate from it. 31 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 2: When Ashley was twenty six, she was working as a 32 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: mental health case manager. It's her passion. Her life was 33 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 2: on track. She was proud to be living alone in 34 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 2: her first apartment. She even worked a second job as 35 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: a swim coach to make extra money. But there was 36 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 2: one big thing she still wanted in her life. 37 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: Love. 38 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: She'd had a string of bad boyfriends and was looking 39 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 2: for someone stable, someone she could build a life with. 40 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: I was using all the dating apps like Tinder, all 41 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: that fun stuff. 42 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 2: That's when a new guy started at Ashley's job, Jake. 43 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 2: He was confident and smart. She was immediately drawn to him, 44 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 2: not necessarily romantically, but just as a person. 45 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: Jake had really loved black hair down to the middle 46 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: of his back and kind of looked like somebody that 47 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 1: was like in a band or something, not the type 48 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: of guy I would date. 49 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 2: The two shared the same work schedule and soon became 50 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 2: fast friends. Jake even teased her about being on dating apps. 51 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: I'd come into work and share my dating experiences on 52 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: these apps. It started off by him kind of joking 53 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 1: about the types of guys that I would go out 54 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: on dates with, what they did as a profession, or 55 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: like their screen names or whatever on the dating apps. 56 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 2: One day, Jake came into the office with bad news. 57 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 2: He told Ashley that over the weekend he found out 58 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 2: that his wife, Amber was cheating on him. 59 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: He wasn't going to tolerate cheating, and so he kicked 60 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: her out of the house, changed all the locks, and 61 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: they were going to get a divorce. 62 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 2: Ashley was sympathetic, especially because the couple had a three 63 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 2: year old daughter together. 64 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: One day, he left from work early because he had 65 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: this lawyer appointment and he was going to go file 66 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: for divorce. He thought it was best to separate and 67 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 1: raise their child together, but separate. 68 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 2: A few weeks later, Jake asked Ashley to hang out 69 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 2: after work. She expected something casual like beer and wings, 70 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 2: but Jake had other plans. 71 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: He showed up at my apartment and he bought me 72 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: this huge bouquet of flowers and they were just gorgeous 73 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: pinks and orange and just really pretty flowers. 74 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,720 Speaker 2: To Ashley's surprise, it was a date. When they went 75 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 2: to dinner that night, Jake showed her a different side 76 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 2: of him. He was a gentleman. 77 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: He was such an upgrade to what I was used to. 78 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: He just seemed very honest, which was a breath of 79 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: fresh air to me because I came from relationships where 80 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 1: there was a lot of lying and hiding in secrets, 81 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: and he seemed to be upfront and honest about everything, 82 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: and I was like, this is a nice change of pace. 83 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: Jake was also thoughtful. He would walk into work in 84 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: the morning with her favorite coffee in his hand. That 85 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 2: was just the beginning of Jake's generosity. 86 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: He would randomly buy me like designer purses or jewelry, 87 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: just because he was just like, I saw this and 88 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: I thought of you, and I thought you'd like it, 89 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 1: so I bought it for you, which you know, I've 90 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,720 Speaker 1: never had someone do that for me before. 91 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,719 Speaker 2: It was romantic. They started having date nights every Thursday 92 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 2: and Saturday. They were the highlights of her week. Around 93 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 2: that same time, Jake was settling his divorce and finalizing 94 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 2: the sale of his house. 95 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: He was like, I sold the house, but I have 96 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,679 Speaker 1: to be out in a week. I don't have anywhere 97 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 1: to go. And I'm like, well, you can move in 98 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: with me. 99 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 2: Even though Ashley and Jake had only been dating a 100 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 2: few months, she didn't want someone she cared about to struggle. Plus, 101 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 2: she saw a future with this guy, so Jake moved in. 102 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 2: Ashley's only concern was how his three year old daughter 103 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 2: would handle the change. She knew how much his only 104 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 2: child meant to him. 105 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: I love kids. I'm good with kids, but I don't 106 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: have any children. I didn't know how that was going 107 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,479 Speaker 1: to work, or how he was going to explain to her. 108 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: You know that, Oh, I'm living with her now. 109 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 2: Ashley knew she wanted kids of her own one day 110 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 2: and was willing to make room for Jake and his daughter. 111 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,040 Speaker 2: She offered to set up a bed for her in 112 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 2: the living room, but his daughter never came to stay. 113 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 2: His ex wife, Amber wasn't happy about Jake's new relationship. 114 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: Amber did not trust me. Amber did not want me 115 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: around their daughter, and he said that she was keeping 116 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: her and breaking the custody order that they had. 117 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 2: Ashley didn't want to get involved in the custody battle. 118 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 2: Despite the stress of the divorce, living together was surprisingly easy. 119 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 2: The couple would go to work together, come home at 120 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 2: night to make dinner, and then snuggle on the couch 121 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 2: to watch movies. It was simple. He made her happy. 122 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: I could have the worst day ever, and he always 123 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: found a way to make me laugh. 124 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 2: After about a year together, Jake took her on a 125 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 2: trip to visit Kentucky, where Ashley used to live. She 126 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 2: was delighted by the gesture. She took him around to 127 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 2: all of her old haunts and he was genuinely interested 128 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 2: in getting to know the place, says she loved. That night, 129 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 2: he gave her another gift. 130 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: We were getting ready to go to sleep, and he 131 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: slid over a box and just tapped me on the 132 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: shoulder and made that little like noise. I was like, 133 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: what is this and he was like, well, open it 134 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: and it was a ring. And I was like, are 135 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 1: you asking me to marry you? And he was like, 136 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: well duh. 137 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 2: Ashley admanced. The proposal was underwhelming, but she didn't care. 138 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 1: I loved him and I wanted to marry him, so 139 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:50,959 Speaker 1: the proposal and how it was done at that point 140 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 1: didn't matter. I just wanted to move forward and start 141 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: building a life with this person. 142 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,719 Speaker 2: Jake found an elopement package a weekend getaway at a 143 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 2: bed and breakfast. Most of the day was a blur 144 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 2: for Ashley, except for the vowels the couple had written 145 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 2: for each other. She remembers that moment clearly. 146 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: Mine were all about how I promised to love him 147 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 1: and be the best wife I could be, and his 148 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: were joking about how we met at work and how 149 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: this friendship ended up becoming what it is today. The 150 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: very last line of his vows, he used the song 151 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: Africa by Toto about how it's going to take a 152 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: lot to drag me away from you. At the time, 153 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, that's sweep, But looking back now, 154 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: I'm like, it's an interesting way to end your vows. 155 00:09:49,400 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 2: Interesting, perhaps more like foreshadowing. After a year of dating, 156 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 2: Ashley and Jake had tied the knot in his simple 157 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:15,959 Speaker 2: elopement ceremony. As she said in her vows, she promised 158 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,319 Speaker 2: to be the best wife she could be. That meant 159 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 2: making the marriage work even in the hard times, just 160 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 2: like her parents had. 161 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 1: My parents were never divorced. I grew up with my 162 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 1: parents together, and I wanted to have one and only 163 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: one marriage, just like my parents. 164 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 2: But early on the couple had a few fights, fights 165 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 2: where she saw a new side of Jake. There's one 166 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:48,559 Speaker 2: specific night that Ashley says she'll never forget. She'd been 167 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 2: working her second job as a swim coach. That night, 168 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 2: she stayed a half hour late to hang out with 169 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 2: the other coaches. When she got back to the apartment 170 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:02,559 Speaker 2: and unlocked the door, was sitting there glaring at her. 171 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: And he was like, where were you? And I was like, 172 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 1: I was talking to the coaches. We were having a 173 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: good time, and he was like, that is not okay 174 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: for you to be coming home half an hour late 175 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 1: and not be notifying me of this, and I'm like, 176 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, it's only a half an hour. 177 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 2: Ashley didn't like the behavior and knew he was overreacting, 178 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 2: but at the same time, she thought. 179 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: Well, maybe that's just a way that he is trying 180 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 1: to be protective of me and like showing me that 181 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: he cares where I'm at, and he's worried about me. 182 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 2: Jake was always a bit worried about Ashley. She struggled 183 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,199 Speaker 2: with depression and anxiety, and Jake fixated on that. 184 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: I've had bouts of depression and anxiety throughout my whole life. 185 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: He telling me over and over and over, I need 186 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 1: to not work, that I need to focus on getting 187 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: better with my mental health. He told me that he 188 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 1: thought I should pursue social Security disability. And how can 189 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:21,200 Speaker 1: you expect to go to work and handle all the 190 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 1: stress when you can't handle stressors in our marriage and 191 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: in our life. If you take naps and you rest, 192 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: and you go to therapy and work on your mental health, 193 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: and I'll do everything else in life for you. It 194 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: just made me become more and more dependent on him. 195 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 2: Ashley eventually stopped working and started collecting disability. With less income, 196 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 2: the couple moved into Ashley's mom's house to save money, 197 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 2: but during the move, Ashley realized she couldn't find one 198 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 2: of her most treasured possessions. 199 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: My dad gave me his military cult forty five gun 200 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 1: before he died. That was one of my dad's favorite 201 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: things he had. You know, I was crying, and I 202 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:12,839 Speaker 1: was like, I don't know where it is. 203 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 2: She started to worry that one of her ex boyfriends 204 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:19,199 Speaker 2: could have stolen the gun. Jake was trying to calm 205 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 2: her down. He said if any of her exes had 206 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 2: stolen the gun, he could get it back for her. 207 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 2: He took a deep breath and confessed that he had connections. 208 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: And I'm like, what do you mean you have connections? 209 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:42,559 Speaker 1: And then he told me that for several years he 210 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 1: has been involved with a local gang that worked for 211 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: one of the Mexican cartels, the Sinaloa Cartel cartel. 212 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 2: Her husband involved in a Mexican drug cartel. This was 213 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 2: news to Ashley, shocking and terrifying information. Even though Ashley 214 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 2: is now detached from what happened to her, she was 215 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 2: certainly not so calm about it in that moment. This 216 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 2: was a huge deal. She couldn't believe this revelation was 217 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 2: just coming out now after they were married. She asked 218 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 2: how exactly he was connected to the cartel. He said 219 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 2: that his job was to be quote a problem solver. 220 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: And of course I had to ask what that meant. 221 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: And then he told me how he would murder people 222 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: for whoever told him to. I asked him how many 223 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: people he had quote taken care of, and he told 224 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: me he was like at nineteen, and it's not personal, 225 00:14:54,680 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: it's business. I was sitting there thinking, who did I marry? 226 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: Am I sleeping next to somebody who would murder people 227 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: for a cartel? 228 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 2: Ashley stayed awake that night, trying to understand what this 229 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 2: meant for her and Jake's future. Would he really be 230 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 2: a hit man for the cartel? 231 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: Every question that I had, he had reasons for it, 232 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: or he connected the dots for me that weren't making sense. 233 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: He backed up a lot of stuff. He would show 234 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: me emails, he'd show me text messages with conversations with people. 235 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 2: What was even more disturbing was that he was simply 236 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 2: unfazed by the gravity of this. Jake acted as if 237 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 2: it were just a simple little secret. 238 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 1: You should feel privileged that I even let you in 239 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 1: on this part of my life. I've never told anybody 240 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: else that I was involved in this stuff, and you 241 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: know more about this than anybody else. 242 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 2: Ashley was scared and felt completely trapped. Jake expressed that 243 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 2: he was too. 244 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: He explained to me how he was trying to get 245 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: out and they weren't going to let him out. 246 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 2: These guys were serious and they weren't afraid to hurt families. 247 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: Some of the stories about how people ended up missing 248 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: were scary because he would explain that they will make 249 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: it look like an accident, or you will just disappear 250 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: and never be heard from again. By him telling me 251 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: about the cartels, was that putting me in danger by 252 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: knowing that information? 253 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 2: In fact, Jake said they were both in danger. Shortly 254 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 2: after that night, he told Ashley he broke ties with 255 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 2: the cartel, making the two of them a target. Now 256 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 2: they needed to go on the run and hide out. 257 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 1: The higher ups in the cartel told him if you 258 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: come back to the area, you're going to be dead. 259 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: We're going to get you. 260 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 2: The impact of the stress and terror began taking a 261 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 2: toll on Ashley. 262 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 1: I wasn't eating, I wasn't sleeping. I lost quite a 263 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: bit of weight. I was not able to sleep unless 264 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:20,199 Speaker 1: I was medicated. 265 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,919 Speaker 2: They hit out in hotels for a few weeks. Eventually 266 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:27,959 Speaker 2: Jake dened it safe enough to return. Ashley felt safer 267 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:31,359 Speaker 2: with him than without him, so they moved back in 268 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 2: with Ashley's family. It wasn't long until another issue surfaced. 269 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 2: Ashley's mother and grandfather apparently had their identities stolen. Their 270 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 2: bank accounts were being hacked. 271 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: My mother would literally get a paycheck deposited on Friday 272 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: and then on Saturday go to buy something and her 273 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 1: bank account was overdrawn because someone hacked your bank account. 274 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 2: Every few weeks, her mother and grandfather would notice a 275 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 2: security breach. Just when it was solved, another one would arise. 276 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 2: Both Ashley and Jake threw themselves into helping her family 277 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 2: triage the problem. 278 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 1: Jake was really attentive to my mom and my grandpa, 279 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: always sitting down with them at the kitchen table calling 280 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: the banks. That became his sole focus was helping my 281 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: mom and my grandpa fix their bank accounts. 282 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 2: It went on like this for six overwhelming months. In 283 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 2: the back of her mind, Ashley feared that the missing 284 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,239 Speaker 2: money could have something to do with the cartel, but 285 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 2: she didn't want to burden her mom with the truth 286 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 2: about Jake, so she kept it all inside. One day, 287 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 2: her grandpa got his bank statement and noticed something particularly concerning. 288 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 1: Twenty thousand dollars was missing from his savings account. He 289 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 1: called the banks, you know, they said for them to 290 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: have it insured and cut and put back into his 291 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 1: account that he has to do a police report. So 292 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,640 Speaker 1: my grandpa went and did a police report, and our 293 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 1: local police said, it looks like the money was being 294 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: taken out of an ATM, so we'll pull the footage 295 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 1: from that and see what's going on. 296 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 2: The family didn't hear anything from the police for a 297 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 2: few weeks until one night. 298 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 1: Our bedroom door gets busted down. Police are pointing guns 299 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:36,360 Speaker 1: at both me and him, telling us put our hands up. 300 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: They asked if his name was Jacob Levin and he 301 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: said yes. They told him, like, stand up and face 302 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: the wall and put your hands behind your head. I'm 303 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 1: trying to talk to the cop, and I go, what's 304 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 1: going on? What happened? And he said, well, ma'am, I'm 305 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: gonna let you know, we have evidence that Jake was 306 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 1: the one feeling the money from your grandfather's bank account. 307 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 2: It didn't add up. Jake had been the one going 308 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 2: out of his way to help her grandfather sort through 309 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 2: this whole financial mess. The only explanation she could think 310 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 2: of is that this was all happening because Jake had 311 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 2: left the cartel in order to steal from her grandfather. 312 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:32,199 Speaker 2: He had to be desperate to come up with cash quickly, 313 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 2: and that meant she and her family could be in danger, 314 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,439 Speaker 2: so she pawned her valuables and paid his bail. She 315 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 2: took him straight to a hotel where they could talk 316 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 2: in private, and he confessed. 317 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: He explained to me that he had received a message 318 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 1: from one of these people in the cartel and they 319 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:57,640 Speaker 1: were threatening me and my mom and my grandfather, and 320 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: if he didn't come up with some for payment, they 321 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 1: were going to harm us. They knew where we were 322 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 1: living and they were driving past our house. So he 323 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: said that he was concerned for our safety and my 324 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:16,880 Speaker 1: family's safety. 325 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 2: He also explained why he kept the whole scheme a secret. 326 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 1: He told me that he didn't want to add more 327 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:29,359 Speaker 1: stress and worry to me because I was always kind 328 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: of worried and stressed out about things going on in 329 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 1: our marriage, our finances. People in the cartel after us, 330 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: and he told me he didn't want to add more 331 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: to my plate. 332 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 2: Right then, she wanted to walk out. The fear for 333 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 2: her safety and her family's safety was overwhelming, But more 334 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:54,120 Speaker 2: powerful than fear was a deep insecurity. 335 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: I was brought up with the like, never give up 336 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: on something, try your hardest to make anything work attitude. 337 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 1: I just didn't want to fail, and I thought that 338 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 1: if I washed my hands of him in the whole marriage, 339 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: I was failing. 340 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 2: Their relationship was hanging on by a thread. Things were 341 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:26,400 Speaker 2: so tumultuous that Ashley picked up and left the hotel 342 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 2: to spend the night at her mom's house. When she 343 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,680 Speaker 2: went back to the hotel the next morning, she found 344 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 2: Jake missing, along with a few other important things. 345 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: He had cleared out all of his things in the hotel, 346 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 1: including a lot of my things that he took. Three 347 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 1: of those things were three of my guns that I 348 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: had in the hotel, and they were registered to me. 349 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 2: The guns were gone, and so was Jake. He wasn't 350 00:22:56,359 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 2: answering her phone calls. The hours turned into date. That's 351 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 2: when she and her family started looking for their valuables 352 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 2: and they found even more things missing. 353 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: The weapons missing kind of prompted everybody in the house 354 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: to start looking at our valuables. That is when my 355 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: mother noticed that her wedding band and engagement ring set 356 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:28,639 Speaker 1: when missing, as well as my grandmother's wedding ring and 357 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: engagement band. I was upset about the weapons, but the 358 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: wedding ring sets from both my mom and my grandmother's 359 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: was the ultimate betrayal to me. Those did mean so 360 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:53,920 Speaker 1: much to me and my family, especially because my father 361 00:23:54,080 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: meant the world to me and my dad has It's passed, 362 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: and those things are things that can't be replaced, so 363 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 1: it hurt real bad. 364 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 2: The wedding rings were the final straw for Ashley. She 365 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 2: knew immediately that her husband had stolen them. 366 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 1: At that point, I knew I meant nothing to him. 367 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: I could not fathom how somebody could take something that 368 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: meant so much to somebody and take it to a 369 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: pawnshop and pawn it for however much money he got 370 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: for it. To him, it was just things. But to 371 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:48,200 Speaker 1: me and my family, those things are priceless, and at 372 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: that point I knew that I was just a thing 373 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 1: to him. 374 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:00,439 Speaker 2: She and her family made a list of the missing 375 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 2: items and took it to the police. At that breaking point, 376 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:09,919 Speaker 2: Ashley decided to start researching her husband's legal record. She 377 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:14,880 Speaker 2: saw the recent theft charges, some small claimsport records, and 378 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 2: then she clicked on a document about his divorce from 379 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 2: his first wife. 380 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 1: And one thing I noticed was the timeframe of it. 381 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: Jake had told me that he filed for divorce in 382 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen. This wasn't filed until twenty twenty one. Jake 383 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: had told me that he was the one that filed 384 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 1: for divorce. This was showing that Amber was the petitioner 385 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 1: and Jake was the respondent. So I read more, and 386 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: then I read that the case was dismissed. 387 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 2: Ashley needed answers, so she decided to go to the 388 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 2: one person who have them, Jake's ex wife Amber. A 389 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:10,479 Speaker 2: few years ago, Amber had messaged Ashley on Facebook. Instead 390 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 2: of reading the message, Ashley had just deleted it and 391 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 2: blocked his ex. 392 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: I went back on Facebook. I unblocked her, and I 393 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: asked her if she would be willing to talk to 394 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: me because I have some questions about her and Jake's marriage. 395 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 2: Amber replied a few days later, and what she said 396 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 2: changed everything. 397 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,880 Speaker 1: As far as I knew, Jake and her only had 398 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: one child together, and one of the first things she 399 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: said to me was, you do realize that Jake has 400 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: five kids. 401 00:26:52,119 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 2: H Ashley learned that her husband didn't just have one 402 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 2: daughter like he said, he had four other small children, 403 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 2: four children he pretended didn't exist. And Amber had a 404 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 2: lot more to say. The story Jake had told about 405 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 2: his ex wife cheating on him. Amber says that never happened. 406 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 2: She had divorced him after he disappeared suddenly. Their divorce 407 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:41,119 Speaker 2: wasn't finalized until twenty twenty one, but Ashley had married 408 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:46,199 Speaker 2: Jake in twenty eighteen. Was their marriage even valid? She 409 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 2: went to a divorce attorney to find out. 410 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:52,919 Speaker 1: The way your head explained to me that well, no, 411 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: according to the date on my marriage certificate, in the 412 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:01,399 Speaker 1: date of Amber's dissolution of marriage, my marriage in fact 413 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:08,400 Speaker 1: was never legal to begin with. Her term was it 414 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 1: was null and void from its inception. 415 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:15,159 Speaker 2: Everything was crashing down around Ashley when she got a 416 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 2: phone call from the detective working on Jake's. 417 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 1: Case, and he said, I have some news for you. 418 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: You might want to sit down. I'm like, I just 419 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 1: found out my marriage was never real. The man I 420 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 1: married had a wife and five children that I didn't 421 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: even know about. Some of the children stole from my family. 422 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 1: You know what else could there be? 423 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 2: The police explained they had just arrested Jake again and 424 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 2: this time he was living with his new fiance. 425 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: And like, excuse me, fiance, and he said, yeah, Jake 426 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 1: was living with the She had children, and this woman 427 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:08,680 Speaker 1: in him had plans about a week prior to him 428 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: getting arrested to fly to Las Vegas and get married. 429 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 2: In Las Vegas, the police searched Jake's phone, where they 430 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 2: found even more troubling details. 431 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: He told this woman that he did have five children, 432 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 1: but his five children all died in I think it 433 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: was like an automobile accident, like a car crash, and 434 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: I do believe that Amber was a part of that 435 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: crash as well. 436 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 2: He told his new fiance that he wanted to be 437 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 2: a stepdad to her kids because his own had all died. 438 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 2: Jake had been in jail for a few days when 439 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 2: Ashley got a call. 440 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 1: They call it from like an eight hundred number, and 441 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 1: I didn't know who it was, but I answered the phone. 442 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 1: And as soon as I heard you were getting a 443 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 1: collect call from an inmate County jail, that wave of 444 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: dread came over me. My heart sank, my stomach like 445 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 1: went into my throat. You have that decision to accept 446 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 1: the call or not accept the call. 447 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 2: She knew she needed to confront him about his lies. 448 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: As much as I did not want to talk to him, 449 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: I had to ask him questions and I know if 450 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: I didn't accept that call that I wouldn't have another 451 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,680 Speaker 1: chance to ask him directly those questions. 452 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 2: So she summoned all of her courage and accepted the call. 453 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: And I said, you have five children. You never told 454 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,560 Speaker 1: me you had five children. You told me you had one. 455 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: And his response was, quote, it is what it is. 456 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 1: I said, you were never divorced from Amber, and he goes, 457 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 1: that's news to me. And I was like, you know, 458 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,600 Speaker 1: our marriage was not like a marriage. We were never 459 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 1: legally married, and he again said that's news to me. 460 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 2: Before Ashley hung up, he asked if they had a 461 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 2: future together. 462 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 1: I'm pretty happy with myself that. I was very firm 463 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 1: and bold and said absolutely not. No, we do not 464 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 1: have a future together. So that was probably the moment 465 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: where the healing began. That was like the final cut 466 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 1: of the cord. 467 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 2: After that final phone call, Ashley began accepting the extent 468 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:56,000 Speaker 2: of his lies. 469 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,240 Speaker 1: I don't know who this person is. I don't know 470 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: who he ever was, and quite honestly, there's nothing I 471 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:06,959 Speaker 1: can believe that he ever told me outside of the 472 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 1: fact that here's his name and his birthday because I 473 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 1: have his birth certificate. 474 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 2: Was he actually a problem solver for the cartel? Or 475 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 2: was that a lie. 476 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:22,080 Speaker 1: To Now that I'm out of the situation and completely 477 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 1: removed and i can see the whole picture for what 478 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:29,160 Speaker 1: it is, I do not believe any of the cartel 479 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 1: stuff was real. I believe that was like a scare 480 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 1: tactic to just keep me worried, keep me on edge, 481 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 1: like a diversion. Pay attention to the cartel stuff, but 482 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: don't look at what I'm doing. 483 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 2: Scare tactic is an understatement lying about being a hit 484 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 2: man for the cartel. It's a lie that created a 485 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:58,080 Speaker 2: baseline of her in her everyday life, a lie that 486 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 2: allowed him to justify years up to see anger and theft, 487 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:06,719 Speaker 2: A lie that made dozens of smaller lies seem more plausible. 488 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 2: Jake'spinning County jail for nearly two years, awaiting trial on 489 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 2: charges of theft, fraud, theft of a firearm, and defamation 490 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 2: with intent to defraud. Ashley submitted a victim impact statement 491 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:24,480 Speaker 2: to the court where she recounted the emotional and financial 492 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 2: damage he caused her and her family. The police weren't 493 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 2: able to recover the stolen items from Ashley's family. The 494 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 2: Priceless Family heirlooms. Ashley doesn't know if she'll ever see 495 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:39,320 Speaker 2: them again. She's learning to make peace with that. 496 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: This situation led me to realize, out of all the 497 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 1: stuff he has taken from me and my family, I'm 498 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 1: not going to let him take something else from me. 499 00:33:54,640 --> 00:34:00,440 Speaker 1: That includes my outlook on the world, my outlook on men, 500 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 1: like I don't hate men and think all men are 501 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 1: liars and cheaters because of what happened to me. 502 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 2: She's putting her life back together. She just finished her 503 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 2: master's degree in forensic psychology and today she's a correctional 504 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 2: caseworker in a prison. It's work that brings purpose and 505 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 2: meaning to her life. 506 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 1: I go to work every day and I deal with 507 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:33,480 Speaker 1: incarcerated individuals who have victims, have hurt people, and I, 508 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:39,960 Speaker 1: being a victim myself, don't let that affect how I 509 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:45,600 Speaker 1: treat any of my clients. I believe that they can 510 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:50,800 Speaker 1: find redemption. I do think that people can change, and 511 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 1: a part of my job is to help them find 512 00:34:56,560 --> 00:35:00,919 Speaker 1: that way so that they can redeem themselves and get 513 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:04,279 Speaker 1: out and find a way to live a happy, successful 514 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: life that won't have them end up back in prison. 515 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:12,400 Speaker 2: Incredibly, she even believes that Jake has potential to find 516 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:16,200 Speaker 2: redemption if he just takes accountability for his crimes and 517 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:19,960 Speaker 2: the harm he caused. And there's one silver lining in 518 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:21,320 Speaker 2: this terrible situation. 519 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:24,839 Speaker 1: I never had to get a divorce because I never 520 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 1: had a legal marriage. 521 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:32,319 Speaker 2: Ashley is focusing on moving forward, going to therapy, and 522 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:37,839 Speaker 2: putting the pieces of her life back together. We end 523 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:41,520 Speaker 2: all of our episodes with the same question, why did 524 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:44,000 Speaker 2: you want to tell your story? 525 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:47,520 Speaker 1: I want people to know that something like this can 526 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:53,360 Speaker 1: happen to other people, and hopefully somebody here's my story 527 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:57,120 Speaker 1: and either makes them take a second look in a 528 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:01,000 Speaker 1: situation that they're in, or if somebody else is in 529 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:05,359 Speaker 1: a similar situation, they don't feel alone. Because one thing 530 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: that really helped me when I was going through this 531 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:14,279 Speaker 1: was hearing similar stories. It made me feel like it's 532 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:19,759 Speaker 1: not me. This happens to other people, and there is 533 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 1: a light at the end of the tunnel, because if 534 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 1: other people have gone through the same things I went through, 535 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: then it's possible that I can also find that happiness 536 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:31,920 Speaker 1: and clarity. 537 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,120 Speaker 2: On the next episode of Betrayal. 538 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,799 Speaker 3: I remember her entering the Niki waiting room first off, 539 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:45,520 Speaker 3: with no baby, and she just had this look on 540 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:46,080 Speaker 3: her face. 541 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 2: If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal 542 00:36:55,640 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 2: team or want to tell us your Betrayal story, email 543 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:02,840 Speaker 2: us at Betrayal po at gmail dot com. That's Betrayal 544 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:07,239 Speaker 2: pod at gmail dot com. Also, please be sure to 545 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:11,680 Speaker 2: follow us at Glass Podcasts on Instagram for all Betrayal content, 546 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 2: news and updates. We're grateful for your support. One way 547 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:18,120 Speaker 2: to show support is by subscribing to our show on 548 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:21,440 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, and don't forget to rate and review Betrayal. 549 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 2: Five star reviews go a long way. A big thank 550 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:28,200 Speaker 2: you to all of our listeners. Betrayal is a production 551 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:31,600 Speaker 2: of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group, in 552 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:35,880 Speaker 2: partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The show was executive produced by 553 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 2: Nancy Glass and Jennifer Fason, hosted and produced by me 554 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:44,520 Speaker 2: Andrea Gunning, written and produced by Monique Leboard, also produced 555 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:49,440 Speaker 2: by Ben Fetterman. Associate producers are Kristin Mercury and Grace Bollinger. 556 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 2: Our iHeart team is Ali Perry and Jessica Krincheck. Audio 557 00:37:57,280 --> 00:38:01,319 Speaker 2: editing and mixing by Matt Delvechio. Trails theme composed by 558 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:05,520 Speaker 2: Oliver Baines Music Library provided by my Music. And for 559 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:09,600 Speaker 2: more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 560 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:11,480 Speaker 2: or wherever you get your podcasts.