Perhaps no one was more shocked than his co-star Joseph Meaux, the owner of the Red Jacket Firearms LLC, on which the show is based, and the holder of their ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) manufacturing license.
“At first it was very hard to believe… Somebody making these allegations to somebody that I knew, it was very shocking and very confusing at first,” Meaux told FOX411 in an exclusive interview. “Will vehemently denied them, said that [it was coming from] somebody with false allegations and there was no truth. I believed it. You don't want to believe somebody you have known over the last five years had the capability of doing that.”
Although Meaux says he had no prior knowledge of any alleged illicit activity involving minors, he has come to question Hayden’s character during their relationship.
“At one time I considered Will a friend, but looking back at it a lot of our interactions had ulterior motives from him -- manipulations and things. Seeing all the people stepping forward now, it really brings to light how much control he was trying to impart on everything around him,” the gun store owner continued. “Will had his on-screen persona and his off-screen persona. His off-screen persona tried to [live in] the reality show and that is what caused a lot of conflicts and problems. I wanted to have a true firearms manufacturing company. Will wanted to have a drama manufacturing company. Those two had a conflict.”
According to a TMZ report, Hayden’s eldest daughter Stephanie – who starred alongside her father on the now-defunct Discovery Channel series and initially came to his defense – will now go to the police to assist in his prosecution. She is set to appear on “Dr. Phil” on Thursday to share her story.
“Stephanie has some demons she has to work through right now, and I am going to be as helpful as I can because she needs that support and needs that room. I am fully behind her,” Meaux said. “I want to give my support to the people that have been damaged by Will. Especially the young ladies, they have had something taken from them that is irreplaceable. Will has damaged me but it is something I can get back. I am going to grow Red Jacket Firearms and we are going to continue as a company doing what we love.”
Meaux and his team at the Baton Rouge-based store are working overtime to ensure that both the company is not associated with the ongoing criminal investigation surrounding Hayden...
“Working on a reality show I have come to realize there is a lot of opportunity there. There are also a lot of problems that go with it but looking back I can see a lot of the manipulation and things Will was doing. Now that he is out of the picture, Red Jacket is going to be able to become a great company.”
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