They Were Attractive Influencers... With An Ugly Truth | Ashley Cole | Have A Seat

Summary

Podcast Summary: Have A Seat with Chris Hansen
Episode: They Were Attractive Influencers... With An Ugly Truth | Ashley Cole
Release Date: June 10, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Chris Hansen conducts an in-depth interview with Ashley Cole, a former investigator with the Clarksville, Georgia police. The discussion focuses on the high-profile case of Josh Stapleton—a popular Gulf Coast influencer—who was convicted of possessing and collecting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The episode delves into the factual details of the investigation, the personal and societal costs of such crimes, the fallout for Josh’s wife Brittany (still active as an influencer), and the emotional toll on investigators exposed to these realities.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Double Life of Josh Stapleton (00:39–02:33)

• Public Persona: Josh and Brittany Stapleton, known as the “Gulf Coast Stapletons,” built a large social following based on boating and coastal life.
• Hidden Reality: Josh Stapleton was under investigation and later pleaded guilty to possessing and trading CSAM—ultimately sentenced to five years in prison.
• Brittany’s Role: Brittany remains active on social media, claiming Josh’s innocence and monetizing her situation, which Chris criticizes as "re-exploiting" victims for profit.

The Investigation: Unfolding the Truth (02:33–12:49)

• Initial Lead: Ashleigh Cole details how the case originated via a report from an email service provider to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), then to Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), then routed to her.
  • “This was sent to me from NCMEC... They would have gone through everything, got proper subpoenas, and sent it to the state.” (04:13)
• Nature of Evidence: The images found were not accidental or ambiguous; they depicted “some of the most graphic images that I've ever seen in my career." (07:37)
• Volume of Material: The investigation uncovered between 3,600 and 4,200 files, a significant escalation from the initial set.

Josh Stapleton’s Mindset & Community Standing (15:22–22:19)

• Lack of Remorse: Josh (per Ashley) exhibited no shame or conscience during interviews:
  • “He was asked...if he felt bad about anything he had seen and he clearly stated no.” (16:11)
  • “He stated that they were just bodies. Their bodies.” (16:23)
• Community Shock: Josh was seen as a prominent, respected local figure and youth mentor—amplifying the betrayal felt in Cartersville, GA.
• No Evidence of Direct Offending: There was no indication that Josh acted inappropriately with youth groups he was involved with.

The Sentence & Legal Oddities (22:19–27:28)

• Plea Deal: Despite a potential 20-year sentence, Josh received five years in prison and 15 years' probation.
• Judicial Concerns: The judge’s ex-husband had also been convicted of sexual misconduct, raising ethical questions about recusal.
  • “It’s awfully strange...What the hell is going on in Clarksville, Georgia?” (26:33)

The Toll on Investigators (28:57–34:07)

• Personal Cost: Ashley opens up about crippling PTSD, self-medication with alcohol, physical injuries, job loss, and near-fatal struggles stemming from repeated exposure to CSAM.
  • “Probably as bad as it can get. I’m lucky to be alive.” (30:44)
• Lack of Support: She emphasizes the insufficient mental health support for law enforcement officers.
• Recovery: Ashley describes her hospitalization, spiritual turning point, and ongoing recovery, now wanting to advocate for others.

Social Media, Victim Blaming, and Brittany’s Influence (34:45–44:48)

• Controversial Content: Brittany’s continued denial and monetization (“Come get dressed with me to visit Josh”) are critiqued as both denial and exploitation.
  • “It feels like exploitation. I do not think she’s a victim in this.” (25:06)
• Public Responsibility: Ashley and Chris urge listeners not to support or enable influencers profiting from such notoriety.
  • “When are we going to stop allowing this type of behavior and start taking up for children and for victims?” (42:49)
• Call for Accountability: Both Josh and Brittany should be banned from TikTok, Ashley asserts (44:12).

Looking Forward (46:37–49:01)

• Potential for Recidivism: Ashley expresses concern Josh may re-offend post-release due to lack of treatment.
• Ashley’s New Mission: While she will not return to law enforcement, Ashley aims to help officers deal with trauma from similar cases.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Investigative Reality

• “People are not meant to see the images that we have to look at. I believe that is pure evil…it's mentally taxing.”
  — Ashley Cole (03:05)

• “These were not viewed one time. These were viewed multiple times, sent hundreds of times.”
  — Ashley Cole (10:21)

On Josh’s Mindset

• “He was asked at one point if he felt bad…he clearly stated no.”
  — Ashley Cole (16:11)
• “He stated that they were just bodies. Their bodies.”
  — Ashley Cole (16:23)
• “It was just taboo...It was something to look at.”
  — Ashley Cole (16:44; 17:33)

On Brittany’s Actions

• “If she just said, look, I didn't know this…But now she’s making videos…She's in denial…she's making money because of this situation.”
  — Chris Hansen (00:39)

• “I do not think that she's a victim in this…it feels like exploitation.”
  — Ashley Cole (25:06)

On Legal System Gaps

• “To me, this person hasn't received help…There’s a reason that he was viewing these images.”
  — Ashley Cole (24:23)

On the Emotional Toll

• “I’m lucky to be alive…I became the worst version of myself…Just trying to escape the things that I was seeing.”
  — Ashley Cole (30:44)

On Social Media Platforms

• “When are we going to stop allowing this type of behavior and start taking up for children and for victims?”
  — Ashley Cole (42:49)

Direct Message to Followers

• “Stop being blinded by the comments and the words of someone who just gets on TikTok and explains their side of something. Go look for the proof.”
  — Ashley Cole (38:39)

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Key Timestamps

• [00:39] Introduction of Stapleton case and Brittany's controversial social media presence
• [03:05] Psychological toll on investigators
• [04:13] Investigation origin—NCMEC and GBI involvement
• [07:37] Graphic content details; first-hand description
• [16:11] Josh shows no remorse or conscience
• [24:23] Concerns about the justice system and lack of rehabilitation
• [30:44] Personal emotional and health spiral for Ashley Cole
• [34:45] Ashley’s take on Brittany’s continued denial and exploitation on social media
• [42:49] Plea for societal awakening against exploitation-for-views on social platforms
• [44:12] Call for Josh and Brittany to be banned from platforms
• [46:57] Fear of recidivism and systemic failure post-release
• [48:32] Ashley’s future: advocacy for officer mental health

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Conclusion

This episode underscores the devastating ripple effects of child exploitation—not just on victims, but also on investigators, communities, and society. Hansen and Cole paint a detailed, harrowing picture of the investigation, question the mechanisms of justice, and condemn the normalization and monetization of crime on social platforms. Ultimately, the call is for accountability: for content creators, their followers, and a justice system frequently seen as lenient and ill-equipped to address the long-term impacts of such crimes.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

The Gulf Coast Stapletons, an attractive couple out on their boat sharing their adventures on social media. They were a sensation. But while they were sharing all these videos, Josh Stapleton, the husband, had a secret. He was under investigation for possessing and trading in child pornography, csam, as they call it. Ultimately, he pleaded guilty and is now serving five years in prison. Now his wife Brittany continues to be a social media presence. She is claiming that none of this is true, that he only took the guilty plea because of extenuating circumstances. He really wasn't trafficking in child pornography. He wasn't looking at it. She wasn't continuing the exploitation and abuse of children. But by exploiting that situation, I think and many others believe Britney is exploiting these children all over again to make a profit. Now, if she just said, look, I didn't know this. He's a bad guy. I'm separating myself from him. I'm collateral damage here. I think people would be more sympathetic. They'd want to help her out. But now she's making videos, oh, come get dressed with me so I can go visit Josh in prison. She's in denial. And again, what's most offensive is she's making money because of this situation. And I think re exploiting the children who were exploited by her husband who possessed these pictures. Now, what you're going to hear and what is going to be in this episode will be the definitive interview on this case. Ashley Cole is the investigator who was with the Clarksville, Georgia Police Department,

[C]

who

[B]

was assigned this case and who investigated it and prepared it to the point where Josh pleaded guilty. Ashley, thank you for being with me. How are you?

[C]

Good, how are you?

[B]

I'm great, thank you. Thanks for joining us. I know this has been a somewhat difficult adventure for you as well. This is tough work, having to look at images of child sexual abusive material. It's got to take its toll on somebody. Give me a sense for how hard this work is.

[C]

Absolutely. It's very troubling with your mind. People are not meant to see the images that we have to look at. I believe that is pure evil, and we were not created to look at those things as Something that man has created, and it's mentally taxing. And without therapy, which most police departments, even this day and time, that's not something that's really pushed a whole lot. Even with those kinds of cases, without therapy continuously, when you go through these things, they will affect you mentally and physically.

[B]

And I want to talk about the impact on your psyche as well. But to get people up to speed here, how did the Josh Stapleton case, the fact that he was possessing brutal, exploitive child pornography, how did that come to you as an investigator with the Clarksville pd? How did this start?

[C]

Yes, so I became a member of the GBI task force, which is Internet Crimes Against Children. I started doing that around 2019, and I came across this investigation in 2020. And this was sent to me from Nick Mick, the gbi. They would have gotten it from Nick Mick who? The National Crimes Against Exploited Children. They would have gotten this, and then they would have went through everything, got the proper subpoenas that they needed, and they would have been sent it to the state that it was in, that it was happening in.

[B]

So by law, when an Internet service provider, in this case, what was it? His. Is the company that provides his email?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

So the company that provides the email server reported to the national center for Missing and Exploited Children, nickname that this activity had been detected and linked it to Josh Stapleton. That information comes to icac, Internet Crimes Against Children, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and then to you, because this takes place allegedly in Cartersville, where you're a police investigator.

[C]

Yes. The GBI would have then found that it was. It was happening within Cartersville city limits, and it would have been sent to whoever was doing the Internet crimes in that police department. And that happened to be me at the time.

[B]

So you get this case, you start looking into Josh Stapleton. What did you have? What did this appear to be when you started investigating?

[C]

You get an initial set of photographs that you have to go through. I received between 160 to 300 images. You don't go through all of them at that moment. You go through a good handful of them, you know, 50 to 100. Just the initial. And that is to make sure that they are actually explicit photographs of children. They have to. There's protocols. They have to be sexually explicit, and they have to be prepubescent. So I have to go through all of them and make sure that that is what we are dealing with.

[B]

So we're not talking about artistic pictures that a parent or grandparent could have taken of kids who happen to be Sunbathing or taking a swim in the ocean or the Gulf without clothes on. These have to be graphic, sexual and exploitive.

[C]

Yes, absolutely. And that is built there the way that it is. That way parents and grandparents, you know, could not get prosecuted. They can have photos on their phone of the children getting changed or a funny photo with the child not having

[B]

underwear on, a bath or whatever, you know. Yes, these were different kinds of photos.

[C]

Yes, very different.

[B]

This was definitely CSAM or child pornography.

[C]

Yes. Um, this was actually one of the first times, one of the first cases that I had ever seen. Some of the most graphic images that I've ever seen in my career.

[B]

And when we say graphic, and I want to be careful here because I don't want to re exploit the victims in these pictures because I believe, like most people do in this business, that every time a. A picture like that is viewed, it's the re. Exploitation of a child. But, but are these children being sexually abused by adults? Are they being forced to sexually abuse each other? Are they being physically harmed? Obviously they're being irreparably harmed psychologically, yes,

[C]

all of the above. Harmed other children? Animals.

[B]

Animals, yes. So the children are being violated by adults, being violated by animals, and being forced to take part in sexually aggressive activities with each other. Is that fair to say?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

What kind of a human being possesses images like that?

[C]

The kind without a conscience. The kind without mental stability. An evil human being.

[B]

Evil human being. So you find out that these pictures are possessed by Josh Stapleton. And how many pictures are we talking about here? How many images did he have that you're aware of?

[C]

The initial investigation? I only received, like I said, between 160 to 300 after downloading his electronics that we got from the residence. There was upwards around 3,600 to 4,200,

[B]

3,600 to 4,200 pictures confirmed child pornography.

[C]

Now, all of those are not confirmed child pornography. There were some that were children in another country standing on a beach with no clothes on. Those cannot be charged, like I said, because you can have those. I don't believe he had children in another country that were his. And these were multiple different types of people, children in different ways, just not sexually explicit. So they cannot be charged.

[B]

Is there any way that somebody could have sent him these photos and that he possessed them on his computer, on his server, without him, without his knowledge? In other words, could he have been set up? Could somebody have planted these on him? No, that's technically impossible.

[C]

Yes. And these were sent through his email server from an Individual individuals. And they have to be uploaded, downloaded to the computer. These can't just be accidentally. These were saved. They were not just opened and oh my goodness, I can't believe someone sent me that. Let me close that out and delete it. Which you would be able to see that that was deleted and not viewed. These were not viewed one time. These were viewed multiple times, sent hundreds of times. This was between 2018 and 2020. That just.

[B]

This wasn't a one time mistake. That, that, you know, somebody sent him something that he wasn't aware of.

[C]

Correct. This was not a one time incident.

[B]

And was he receiving and sending, was he trading these images?

[C]

Not that we are aware, but they were just gathered and gathered.

[B]

And could you tell whether or not they were kept in specific files? Was there an effort to hide these from his wife or other people that he would then go in secret and view and get whatever he gets out of this?

[C]

Yes, they are. They were kept in files and some were deleted after the fact of being viewed and reviewed. Then they would be deleted. But those can also be retrieved.

[B]

Retrieved. Right. And so at some point you've got to go out there and interview as the police investigator, Josh Stapleton. Tell me about that. Did you go to his home?

[C]

Yes. So once we get that information from Internet Crimes Against Children, we will make sure that the person lives at the home. Who lives at the home? Is it one individual? Is it several individuals? We really need to make sure that we're going to the home for the right person persons. And at the time he lived alone. So after some surveillance and finding out that he was there at the residence, on the residence and resided there at the time, we were able to get a search warrant. I was able to get a search warrant for the residents and for his electronic devices. And that is when we will go serve the search warrant and try to speak with him.

[B]

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[D]

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[B]

What did he tell you about this material?

[C]

So I will say that his interview will probably be with me for the rest of my Life. Out of 16 years of law enforcement, I don't believe that I've ever interviewed someone that I felt truly did not have a conscience and did not feel bad for anything that they had done. I had viewed these images. I had to see these images so I knew what I was dealing with. Before he was ever interviewed. And he was asked at one point if he felt bad about anything that he had seen and he clearly stated no.

[B]

No, he didn't feel bad about any of this. About exploiting children by looking at them being sexually abused.

[C]

He did not. He stated that they were just bodies. Their bodies.

[B]

Wait a minute, wait a minute. He said they're just bodies? Like our bodies?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

And did he just Bodies. Did he admit to you that he knew they were underage? I mean, clearly you could Tell by the pictures. These. These poor children were underaged.

[C]

Yes. And when confronted with that, he said that it was just taboo.

[B]

Just taboo?

[C]

Just taboo.

[B]

Well, there's the reason it's taboo, Josh, is because you're exploiting children.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Did you say that to him?

[C]

I don't believe I said that at the time. You really want them to continue talking with you, so you have to have a really strong will to sit there and speak with someone in the right way, to have them communicate with you after something like that.

[B]

Did he admit to you that he had kept these, that he had viewed these images, that he re. Exploited these children?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

And did he indicate to you that he got sexual gratification or satisfaction from viewing them?

[C]

He didn't go into that kind of detail. The most detail that he gave was that it was just taboo. It was something to look at and that their bodies were like our bodies. He did at one point try to say that it was a. You know, someone just sent it to him. But eventually, because of everything that we had, he was fine, you know, admitting that he had it and admitting that he had viewed it.

[B]

Did he tell you who he got it from?

[C]

No. At one point he stated it was a friend that he had from college. So I don't.

[B]

So college buddy sends him all these images and he just happens to be on the receiving end?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Did you get the sense that he thought he was going to get out of this without going to prison, that he wasn't going to get criminally charged, that he wasn't going to be held responsible or accountable for this?

[C]

No, I think he knew. I think he knew at that moment that it was over, that he. He was caught. And I just believe that there wasn't the normal. I'm sorry, you know, or I. I do feel bad about looking at those things. Some of the stuff I stumbled upon was just too harsh. And I understand why you're here. There was none of that. It was just blatant. I don't care. It's nothing. Yeah, you found it on my computer. It's not a big deal. I mean, it's just happens to be younger people that are getting sexually abused.

[B]

Did he try to hide it from you? Was he cooperative when he went to go talk to him at his house?

[C]

He was cooperative.

[B]

Did he seem surprised that you were there for that purpose?

[C]

He was very surprised, yeah. He was very surprised that we were there at all. This is a prominent person in Cartersville.

[B]

He's well known, right? Yeah. He was the state Farm agent in Cartersville, Georgia.

[C]

He worked with a young group of future business people.

[B]

How was he viewed in the community? What was his reputation prior to this coming out?

[C]

I did not know him personally, but there he had a lot of people in the community around him because he was a prominent individual in Cartersville and known in the church, some of the churches that are bigger. And that was where one of the groups was that he. The future business Children. So, I mean, he was well known.

[B]

Did it give you pause that he was involved in groups with younger people? Did that worry you?

[C]

Absolutely.

[B]

Was there ever any indication that he act inappropriately with any of those people? Any of those young people?

[C]

No, no, no, not that we found.

[B]

You know, you know this. Ashley and I know this from the predator investigations and from people who go into prisons and talk to individuals who commit predatory crimes, that there was without question linkage between viewing child pornography and offending.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Was there any indication that he ever offended beyond possessing and viewing the child pornography?

[C]

No.

[B]

So it hadn't gone to that level?

[C]

It had not.

[B]

In, in the course of this, did you ever interview Brittany Stapleton? Was she ever looked at as being aware that he possessed this material?

[C]

No. Brittany Stapleton was never in the picture when he was charged. This is apparently before she reached out to him because she knew him, I guess as a friend. He was. He had a girlfriend at the time who was not Britney Stapleton.

[B]

And did that girlfriend have any knowledge of this?

[C]

Not that we're aware of, no.

[B]

So he's arrested based upon the possession of this material. What happens after that?

[C]

Yes. So he was arrested and his electronics were turned over to HSI and some other departments just to help download the material in the proper way. Once those are brought back, then we have to basically collect everything, make sure that we have all of our ducks in a row and take warrants for the individual.

[B]

And a judge signed the warrants and he was arrested and criminally prosecuted. He was booked, yes.

[C]

During the warrant process, you know, the judges explained everything that we have, located everything that we have.

[B]

And the interview where he essentially admits possessing all this.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

That's a pretty strong case. You have the CSAM material. You have his admitting in the interview that he possessed it, that he looked at it. He faced potentially 20 years in prison on these charges.

[C]

Yes, absolutely.

[B]

Now, ultimately, there was a plea agreement. He pleaded guilty. He is now serving a five year sentence, and then he's got 15 years probation afterwards as the investigator on the case. How does that sentence sit with you? Is that justice? Is that enough time for this crime?

[C]

Not in my opinion, no.

[B]

Why?

[C]

Well, as you talked about, this is. This is a crime that gets worse with time. An individual starts with thoughts in their head and then they think, I'll look at something that is interesting about it and then they start possessing it or reaching out to people and asking for it. And it just continues to escalate and escalate. And I believe that we do not, as a nation take care of a person mentally. He's now in a prison. He went from being charged, being released, getting married to someone who obviously is in the dark about how this works or is unaware how this all plays

[B]

out or is exploiting it.

[C]

Or is exploiting it. Absolutely. And then becomes a big, you know, person on TikTok and is just continuing on with life as if it's nothing. So at that point, to me, this person hasn't received help. He hasn't had any moment of clear mindedness or help from a professional to say that he will not do that anymore. There's a reason that he was viewing these images.

[B]

Do you think Brittany Stapleton's a victim in this or do you think she's hip to what's going on and is just trying to exploit it as best she can with her social Media, with

[C]

her TikTok, it feels like exploitation. I do not think that she's a victim in this. At one point she has spoken about mental health and how we tend to, you know, kick people when they're down and not think about how we affect them in their worst moment in life. So I don't know if she's blind to the fact of all the individuals that have been affected because of what they had to view just to do their job because of Josh Stapleton and other people like him.

[B]

Now, the judge in Josh Stapleton's case, the judge who signed off on this sentence, who accepted it, the plea agreement, her husband, now ex husband, was charged with inappropriate sexual contact with one of his students. He was a teacher. Some have raised concerns about this in that maybe she should as the judge, even though she divorced the husband, recused herself from this case because of the charges facing her ex husband and he ended up pleading guilty and he's in prison. What you say about all that, do you think that had any impact here or was it just a unfortunate coincidence for the judge?

[C]

I really do not know. It doesn't.

[B]

It's awfully, it's awfully strange though. I mean, how do you make this stuff up? He gets a, you know, what is arguably a pretty light Sentence for the crime. I'm talking about Josh Stapleton. And it turns out that the judge was married to a fella who she divorced. And then he pleaded guilty to inappropriate sexual contact with one of his students at the local high school. It's like, what the hell is going on in Clarksville, Georgia?

[C]

And from my point of view, I would have liked to have been part of the plea, knowing, at least knowing what the plea was before it was agreed upon, just to understand why that's the direction that.

[B]

Were you consulted by the district attorney's office or by anybody in the system?

[C]

No.

[B]

And when he entered into this plea agreement, were you still on the force or had you left the police department by that time?

[C]

I left the police department.

[B]

Do you think justice was served in this case, given Josh Stapleton's five year prison sentence?

[C]

Truly, I don't.

[B]

Why not?

[C]

I just believe that it's. It's just so much. It's so many images. It's so long of a period. It got worse and worse and worse. And when you're viewing things like that, and I definitely don't want to go into too much detail to. But I want you to understand we're talking torture, we're talking torment on these small children. And that is something to me that you don't really just come back from like that. You need serious help. After you have willingly viewed, reached out and viewed these things, you showed a progression of getting worse and worse of what you were looking at. I truly cannot even explain the images that I had to view.

[B]

What impact did this have on you, your mental health? And again, this isn't the only case where you had to view this csam. In your job as an investigator, you had been there several years, more than a decade at the Clarksville pd. What impact, what toll did this take on you emotionally, mentally, psychologically?

[C]

This truly, I'm doing really well right now mentally. But this took such a toll on me that I really believe that I just became a different person. It took years, me not being a good mom because of how much mental stress I was under and viewing these things. I began having nightmares. I began visibly seeing these things in my dreams. I couldn't get them out of my head. I constantly went to my children's games and was thinking, other people, that person could be doing it, or what are they looking at? It becomes so heavy on you, especially without receiving some type of help or relief.

[B]

You've been honest about your struggles?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

And the toll this took on your life, how bad did it get? How Bad did it get?

[C]

Probably as bad as it can get. I'm lucky to be alive. I'm lucky to be sitting here right now talking to you. I became the worst version of myself and I don't remember most of it. Just trying to escape the things that I was seeing. Self medicating, absolutely self medicating with alcohol. I went down a very dark road and was told a year ago that they. That doctors could not believe that I survived, that I was alive at that moment. I've had a seizure. I've had. I broke my back during that seizure. I'm still suffering from things that have happened because of these things. I lost my job. I didn't just leave the police department. I was diagnosed with ptsd and so I was let go because I'm sure you can understand why it would be hard to have someone on your force dealing with people like that in a position that would, that could possibly still be suffering from ptsd.

[B]

So you were let go?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

At the time. Was that a crushing thing or was it a relief to you?

[C]

It was an absolute soul crushing thing. I began policing when I was 23 years old. This was my life. This is what I wanted to do in my life. And I was very proud of where I had gotten and what all I had done at the time. It was devastating for me. It sent me more into a downhill struggle. I went further into alcoholism.

[B]

How did you turn it around? How did you go straight, clean, sober, get healthy again?

[C]

So as I told you, the doctors had told me that they didn't even know how I was Alive. And on June 23, my husband had me taken to Southeast Detox to get help. But because of the shape that I was in, I had no electrolytes in my body at all. I had not had even a glass of water to drink at the time, just alcohol. And when I got there, they had to call the ambulance because I couldn't walk and I couldn't talk on my own. So that's when they admitted me into the hospital and said that, you know, they were going to do the best they could to get me back to where I could function, but they couldn't promise me anything. So for three days without family, at that point, I think everybody had just said, you know, we're done with her, we're done with this. You know, they have stuck with me through this whole thing because they knew what I went through. They've seen how it tore me apart. And I sat there for three days in that hospital room alone, praying to God that if he would please help me get out of this, that I could do it. I could come back and I would absolutely be for him and be for helping other police officers or military or anyone that needed help like I did to get out of the position they were in.

[D]

How are you?

[C]

And I am wonderful. Now he has blessed me to be alive and finally back to being a normal, productive person. And all I want is to, to help other people, help other officers I've met. So many have reached out to me since I've spoke about everything that happened, several that I knew, but that obviously don't want to be public about it. But so many people need help in this field.

[B]

You're back. Welcome back.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

What's it like for you, Ashley, to see these videos from Britney? Come get ready with me. I'm gonna go see Josh in prison selling clothes, talking about how he's not guilty, how the truth is going to come out, how she's got, you know, the goods on this thing and how this was planted on him. What you've seen these. How do you react?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

How do you react to that?

[C]

Yeah, it is, it's unbelievable to me, honestly. And just knowing the story that she's given that she reached out to him once she found out this is what he was charged with. And that right there in itself is off to me. I can't imagine myself ever, whether being a cop or not, finding out that someone I knew was charged with child exploitation, sex exploitation, exploitation of a minor, that I would reach out to them and say, oh no, what happened? Are you okay? I just don't see a world where that is something that happens. Well, why does obviously her.

[B]

Why does, why does somebody do that? What, what's her, what's her end game here? What's she trying to do? She's just trying to be a tick tock sensation and, and garner publicity and get attention and stir up drama and benefit and profit from

[C]

appears that way. I mean a person who just makes these videos and comments that if someone comes for her, they better be perfect. And you know, just to have that type of mindset to me is just troubling.

[B]

Is she at all complicit in this? Standing up for him like that when the evidence is so overwhelming?

[C]

Absolutely. Especially to say that she went to court, so she's heard the case. You've went to court and you've heard the case, but now you're saying our truth will be, will be known. What truth? The truth that Josh Stapleton admitted that he had explicit Images of children on his computer upwards. Around 3,000, 4,000. Exactly. What is the truth other than that?

[B]

Do you feel at all bad for her? Do you have any sympathy for her? Maybe this guy has been so charismatic and so slick that he's convinced her that, you know, he's going to get out of prison and restart his life and be an insurance agent again and they're going to go on and have this wonderful, luxurious life on the waterfront.

[C]

Yeah. You know, I'm a Christian, so there a part of me that would want to. But no, I don't, because I truly believe he will get out of prison and then they will go back to their life, because that's the justice system that we have. He'll go back to his normal life, just like he was able to have two years of a normal life, three years of a normal life when he was let out of jail, when he was out on Vaughn, he got to go to Florida and purchase a home or live in the home that he had, ride his boat. I mean, he got to live it up. That is the world that we live in. So, yeah, I know she's telling the truth, that she will. He will get out and they will have a normal life again and all of her little followers will continue to let her make money off of this because that's the only reason at this point, she's so big.

[B]

What do you say to her followers,

[C]

to the ones who are true followers and normal, not twisted and sick in their head, and they're only following this for their own fun. I say stop being blinded by the comments and the words of someone who just gets on TikTok and explaining, explains their side of something. Go look for the proof. Go look for the tangible things that you can find that show you if it's true or not what she's saying. There's so much. It's open. You can see it.

[B]

Well, it's in the court file. He had to say in open court that he exploited these children for this purpose. He had to say that he had to proffer himself in front of a judge. And the judge had to say, okay, you're doing this willingly? Yes. You're not doing this just because you're being pressured? No. Are you guilty? Yes, I'm guilty. He had to go through all of that and then the judge had to weigh everything and say, okay, I find you guilty. Your sentence is five years, followed by 15 years probation. He's going to have to be on the sexual offender list. I'm sure that's going to be part of it, part of his probation, and then what? He's going to go back on the boat with Brittany, go to the beach, hang out by the waterfront? Kids are going to be around. He's not going to be able to go within, what, a thousand feet of a child? Probably part of his restriction. And shouldn't people know that if they've got kids and they're around him?

[C]

Absolutely. But just like her, the followers, the people who are saying they're, they're behind her, it's all. You're just basically saying that you accept this type of behavior. You're okay with grown people abusing children, viewing children getting abused. You're just saying that it is okay in this society when you back someone like that up. That's all that you're saying.

[B]

Brittany Stapleton keeps an eye out for anybody who's critical of her. And I'm sure she's going to see this and she's going to do a video saying, aw, that Ashley Cole, she had trouble, she got fired. What's she talking about? What do you say to Brittany Stapleton?

[C]

I don't really have anything to say to Brittany Stapleton because I feel like that would be a waste of words. So I will just say that karma is real.

[B]

Do you think Stapleton had to view those images possessed by her husband, that she'd have a different look at this, a different viewpoint?

[C]

I don't think. I don't think so. No, I don't. I think that her to make the comments that she's made in some videos, you know, if that's the worst you've ever seen. Well, obviously she believes that she's looked at some pretty bad stuff. So no, I don't think she would feel any different. I think she'd just say not a big deal because she's obviously sick as well.

[B]

And just to be clear, the material that Josh Stapleton possessed that you had to view is at the worst you've

[C]

ever seen still to this day. And I continued working on those cases until 2023. I've never seen anything as bad as that before.

[B]

What do you think people should know? What should be the takeaway? What does this say about social media and TikTok and people making money and exploiting. I mean, obviously Josh Stapleton pleaded guilty to exploiting children. And there were, as you said, upwards of 3,000 images, some of those graphic you had seen. As an investigator who specialize in this type of work, what do you tell people who support everything that Britney does spend money on the Things she promotes allow her to make a living doing this.

[C]

I say, when is it going to stop being okay? When are we going to finally say enough is enough? We're going to stop letting our children be victims. We're going to stop accepting people like Brittany to come on here and to gain a following and to get TikTok famous. Because we like the way that she talks or we like the way that she fixes her hair. It's okay that her husband went to jail or prison. It doesn't matter if they're saying that he looked at those things. That's probably not true. The cops are all wrong. The even hard evidence, we're looking right past that and saying this is okay. There are people who are on TikTok every day who this had to go through, this had to actually be a victim of this. And all we are doing as a society is telling them that it's okay for someone to do that to them. It's okay that these photographs are out there now. When are we going to stop allowing this type of behavior and start taking up for children and for victims? When are we going to stop?

[B]

Do you think Brittany and Josh Stapleton should be banned from TikTok?

[C]

Absolutely. Every single time that they come on or she comes on and talks about how he's going to get out or sells her promotions or makes fun of things that people have said, which I don't agree with the things that some people have said to her, but when she mocks individuals, I do feel like it is just. It's just taking a little bit more. Taking a little bit more. Every time of those people's joy, they just have to see it or they have to know that it's out there. I just think it's ridiculous. And I do believe they should be off of this.

[B]

Well, I. I'm sure you've thought the same thing that I think every time we talk about doing an episode on this case, I weigh exposing evil versus giving somebody attention who doesn't deserve it. And I felt in this particular case, it was way more important for people to hear what you have to say than it is to not listen to you and to just let it alone and hope that she stops talking and people stop listening.

[C]

Yes. And I hope that agree with me. Yes. And I believe that people will understand and maybe just hearing this will make them want to look more into the case and get more information and see that they need to stop, you know, taking up for this individual who they do not know. And some, I'm sure Do know her. But to know that this is a case that really took place and these images were viewed by other individuals who then charged Joshua Stapleton, who spoke with Joshua Stapleton, who then agreed that he had these images. And, you know, this is not something that just happens like someone getting arrested for a drug charge or, you know, a traffic violation. It's. This is something completely different. And this is real. And this stuff is happening every single day. And these social media platforms, it's like half of them, half of it hurts, and then half of it is doing good.

[B]

He could be out in as little as two, two and a half years. What is your biggest fear as somebody who investigated this case, who interviewed Josh Stapleton, who knows how the system works? What is your biggest fear after Josh Stapleton gets out of prison?

[C]

With the attitude and the way that everything has happened with Brittany and him only getting the five years, even with being on probation. My biggest fear is that we're just letting an offender out again, someone who hasn't received help in any way. If he has gotten help, that's wonderful. But if we're, you know, if we haven't done, that's our due diligence to make sure that he gets some type of help before he's let out of prison. And if not, I do believe that this is something that's going to continue and to progress statistically. We can look back and see that this is something that happens continuously. It re offenders. It's not a one and done usually.

[B]

Well, Ashley, I know it's not easy for you to go over this territory. I appreciate your candor, your honesty. I think this is important for people to know. Thank you for taking time out of your evening to have a seat with me. Do you ever think you'll go back into law enforcement?

[C]

No.

[B]

You're done?

[C]

I'm done. I would love to be an advocate for officers. I am trying to go back to school. I would like to become a therapist and, and reach out and have some form, some way of helping these officers and investigators with what they're dealing with.

[B]

Well, I think that's very important because, you know, I work with these guys and these women all the time. They're dedicated and. And, you know, it does take its toll. I've never had to look at csam. I pray that I never have to see it by mistake anywhere. But I do talk to a lot of men who have viewed it prior to offending and showing up in our stings. Ashley Cole, I wish you all the best. Blessings to you. Stay safe. Stay healthy, and I'll stay in touch, I promise. Thanks for sharing all this.

[C]

Yes, thank you.

[A]

All right.

[B]

Ashley Cole, the investigator who investigated the case of Josh Stapleton. It's a lot to think about here, and I think it's important in this TikTok saturated world. And I listen. I'm on TikTok all the time. We post videos multiple times a week. I have a million followers. It's very valuable for me to have a following there to promote all the work we do across platforms. So I understand it. But, God, you just gotta think about it before you support somebody who's making money based upon someone else who's exploited children. It's not worth it. I'll see you next Wednesday on have a seat with Chris Hansen. Monday is when Predators I've Caught drops here on the same platform. We take a look back at previous predator investigations. And on Thursday on my streaming network, True Blue Watch, trueblue.com, another episode of Takedown with Chris Hansen. I'll see you soon. I'll be watching and listening,

[C]

Sam.