Jason Galanis has been at the center of the Chrisley family legal saga for years, but a 2017 sentencing memo just added a truly unexpected chapter. His ex-wife, Monet Berger, wrote to a Manhattan federal judge begging for leniency, and her star argument was that Galanis rescued an injured hawk. She claimed he made a bed for the bird, drove it 90 minutes to a rescue facility, and donated to the organization that took it in.
Berger also pointed the finger at Galanis’father and co-defendant, John Galanis, writing that he manipulated his son into a life of crime. The judge sentenced Galanis to 189 months anyway, and he started serving in October 2017. President Trump commuted the sentence in March 2025 and later pardoned Savannah Chrisley’s parents, Todd and Julie. Meanwhile, Berger filed for divorce a month after the memo and later described herself as a victim of his alleged tax fraud.
So the timeline is: hawk plea, divorce, prison, commutation, pardon, engagement. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s a lot of plot for one family. What’s the wildest character reference you’ve ever heard in a courtroom story? Tell us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.