Who Is Joanna Gaines' Father? New Details On Jerry Stevens And His Role In An Alleged Prostitution Ring
Jerry Stevens was under investigation.
Instagram Joanna Gaines likes to present the "wholesome family image" to the world on her hit HGTV show, Fixer Upper, but the latest news about her father is not quite savory. Who is Jerry Stevens, and what was his role in an alleged prostitution ring?
In their latest round of press promotions, Chip and Joanna Gaines have tried to push the “wholesome family image” revolving around faith, home, and charity message to their fans. Joanna Gaines shared a picture of their youngest son, Crew, in Avengers-themed costumes — and Chip shared a picture of him running a half-marathon with the baby in tow.
But that all may be to help steer the press away from what must be the most scandalous HGTV story in a long time: namely, that Joanna’s father, Jerry Stevens, was recently investigated for his role in an alleged prostitution ring.
Here’s what we know about Jerry Stevens and these explosive allegations.
1. Jerry Stevens met Joanna’s mother while he was serving in the armed forces.
Joanna Gaines took to her Instagram to explain how her mother and her father met. According to Joanna, Jerry Stevens was stationed in Korea in 1969, while serving in the armed forces, when he met Joanna’s mother, Nan, at a party. The duo has been married for more than four decades.
“Their story is one you hear about in the movies. All the odds were against them but they fought through and became an example of how to love, fight for, extend grace to, and honor each other amidst all their many differences,” Joanna said.
2. Jerry Stevens owned many businesses.
According to Country Living, Jerry Stevens owned many businesses in Waco, TX, over the course of several years. One such business was the Firestone tire and car repair shop, which is where Joanna was working when one Chip Carter Gaines walked in to get his truck brakes fixed. The rest, as they say, is history.
"My buddies used to always joke that no one could get their brakes done as often as I got my brakes done," Chip told the outlet. “By the time I finally ran into Joanna at the shop in 2001, I had the perfect pick-up line prepared to impress my future wife: "Hey, you're the girl from the commercials." And yes, it worked!”
3. Chip and Joanna’s “family first” façade has started to crack, as of late.
USA Today was the first outlet to note that Chip and Joanna Gaines’ claims of “putting their family first” are little more than advertising tools to sell their Magnolia products. According to the outlet, Chip and Joanna certainly do quality work — when Fixer Upper was on the air, it was the second-most popular series behind the various Property Brothers spin-offs — they aren’t the “wholesome family” that they claim to be. Rather, they’re ruthless business-people who have a winner-take-all attitude.
“They don’t want to be seen simply as a couple that can do it all. They want to be seen as a couple that can do it all while at the same time making their family their top priority,” the outlet writes. “If they need more family time, why do they keep starting new ventures? Unchecked ambition for any of us is a bottomless pit. We live in a world where every social-media user compares their worst to everyone else’s best, and mommy-bloggers work tirelessly to portray unattainable perfect homes and families. Instead of correcting distorted realities, Chip and Joanna are adding to the problem. Not just in what they say, but also in what they show.”
4. Despite the initial investigation, Jerry Stevens hasn’t been charged with any crime.
According to Radar Online, authorities in Waco, TX, had begun investigating an alleged prostitution ring that had taken place inside of a massage parlor. Jerry Stevens, who was a patron of the massage parlor, was initially investigated for his role in the alleged ring. However, after authorities could find no evidence of his participation in the alleged prostitution ring, no charges were brought against him, and no further accusations have been made.
“I’m not saying it’s not possible any of them were ever there,” Detective Joseph Scaramucci of the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office said, “I just have no evidence to corroborate that.”
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. Find her online at www.bernadettegiacomazzo.com and www.longlivetheuprising.com.