Sean Luttrell’s first arrest came in 2023.

By his own words, he wasn’t confused about how he got there. He was living an evil life — one bad decision stacked on top of another until the weight finally caught up with him. The arrest didn’t surprise him. In a way, it confirmed what he already knew: the path he was on only led one direction.

While incarcerated for aggravated assault, something shifted.

Sean didn’t start with grand promises or dramatic declarations. He hit his knees. He opened his Bible. And he began reading it every day — not for comfort, not to pass time, but because he knew he needed real change. Slowly, he says, he could feel something happening inside him. Not all at once. Not overnight. But enough to know this wasn’t just another jailhouse phase.

After serving one year, Sean expected to be released.

Instead, he stayed another year.

At the time, it felt like a setback. Looking back, Sean believes it wasn’t punishment — it was preparation. “God had other plans,” he says. Plans that required more time, more discipline, and fewer distractions.

During that additional year, Sean completed the Men of Valor program while still inside the jail. He chose growth over bitterness. Structure over excuses. Accountability over shortcuts. It wasn’t easy — but it was necessary.

Redemption, Sean learned, doesn’t always mean getting out sooner.

Sometimes it means staying longer… so you don’t come out the same.

Today, Sean carries that lesson with him. He doesn’t deny his past or minimize his mistakes. He understands the harm his choices caused. But he also understands that change is possible — when someone finally stops running and starts surrendering.

Sean’s story isn’t loud. It isn’t flashy. It’s quiet, deliberate, and honest.

And sometimes, those are the ones that last.

On February 23, 2026 you can hear the complete story of Sean Luttrell.

Human trafficking often hides in plain sight.

In this narrated journalism episode of The Redemption Project, Brandon Burley examines a new Tennessee law that requires licensed tattoo artists to complete human trafficking awareness training—and why that policy matters.

Drawing from reporting, survivor advocacy, and law enforcement experience, this episode explores how traffickers have historically used tattoos as tools of control, why tattoo professionals are uniquely positioned to notice warning signs, and how community-based awareness can become a bridge between vulnerable individuals and help.

This is not an argument that tattoos equal trafficking. It’s a discussion about training, pattern recognition, and the quiet role everyday professionals can play in disrupting exploitation.

This episode is based on Brandon Burley’s recent opinion column published in The Knoxville News Sentinel and is part of Season 4: Narrated Journalism, where reporting, policy, and practice intersect.