Garrick Merrifield, known for his role on TLC's reality series Seeking Sister Wife, was taken into police custody in Chaffee County, Colorado, earlier this week. The arrest, which occurred on Monday, November 24, followed a domestic dispute during which Merrifield allegedly threatened to report his own wife, Lorrana, to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Alleged Incident and Arrest Details
According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by TMZ, the incident unfolded during a fierce argument between Garrick and his wife, Lorrana, who is a native of Brazil. The documents state that Garrick took Lorrana's phone away and refused to return it when she expressed her desire to call her family.
When Lorrana informed her husband that she intended to contact the police, he reportedly escalated the situation. He allegedly continued to withhold her phone and then made the threat to call ICE. Although Lorrana is legally residing in the United States on a valid visa, the threat caused her significant fear due to her self-professed lack of complete knowledge of US immigration laws.
Aftermath and Family Dynamics
Following the altercation, Lorrana researched how to contact law enforcement, an action she believes Garrick discovered. In response, she claimed he deactivated the Wi-Fi on her devices, further isolating her. Despite Lorrana's reported reluctance to see her husband arrested, law enforcement proceeded, and Garrick was taken into custody.
He was charged with one count of telephone-obstructing service and was later released from Chaffee County Jail after posting bond. A spokesperson for the jail confirmed his release to TMZ on Tuesday.
Garrick Merrifield's family life is at the centre of his public persona. He is legally married to Lorrana, with whom he recently celebrated a one-year anniversary and welcomed a daughter, Sarah Mae, on July 3. He also remains in a relationship with his former wife, Danielle. The couple legally divorced to facilitate Garrick's pursuit of a plural marriage, a lifestyle featured on Seeking Sister Wife.
A Complex Family Structure
The family includes three children from Garrick's relationship with Danielle: teen sons Geremiah and Solomon and a two-year-old daughter, Leia. In an interview with People, Lorrana expressed her joy about her new daughter, Sarah, growing up with her siblings. Garrick similarly shared his excitement about seeing his younger children develop a bond, specifically mentioning Leia and Sarah growing up together as sisters.
The logline from TLC describes the show as following families in various stages of 'seeking, dating or transitioning a new sister wife into their lives.' This recent incident, however, casts a starkly different light on the reality behind the television narrative.
