Country music star Gavin Adcock transformed a reckless driving arrest into a six-figure business opportunity, earning $150,000 from selling T-shirts featuring his mugshot.
The former Georgia Southern defensive lineman was arrested May 21 in Wilson County, Tennessee, and charged with two counts of reckless driving and having an open container. He was released on a $1,000 bond after being clocked driving 103 mph in his 1973 Dodge Challenger.
During a recent appearance on Bunnie Xo’s “Dumb Blonde Podcast,” Adcock revealed how he capitalized on the arrest through merchandise sales.
“I said, ‘Well, considering that I had to, when they towed my car, they drove it at the impound lot. Or took it for a drive, messed up my motor. I had to get a new motor for the car. I had to pay my ticket, and then I had to pay like $4,000 in lawyer fees, so I’m $24,000 in the hole from that. But I’ve probably sold about $150,000 worth of mug shot tees since then,’” Adcock told the podcast host.
The artist explained the arrest stemmed from taking his restored dream car for what he called a “joy ride.” According to Whiskey Riff, Adcock said he had spent months putting money into the vintage vehicle, “getting it running as good as new, and decided I wanted to take it for a joy ride.”
Beyond the lucrative merchandise, Adcock channeled his jail experience into his music, releasing a song titled “Morning Bail” after his release.
The mugshot T-shirts have found their way into homes across the country, with Adcock noting that “there’s little kids and husbands’ wives wearing my face on the couch right now, or out to dinner.”
Despite the initial $24,000 cost from legal fees, car repairs, and fines, Adcock’s entrepreneurial approach to his legal troubles resulted in a net profit of approximately $126,000.
