Judge at Julie Chrisley’s re-sentencing said she was not getting a “free pass for criminal conduct”

The judge who imposed the new sentence on Julie Chrisley showed no leniency toward the former reality star.

On Wednesday, September 25, the judge of the Northern District of Georgia sent a clear message to Chrisley knows best The 51-year-old alumnus re-sentenced her to the same prison term as before, namely 84 months, because he considered the original sentence in the case of tax evasion and tax fraud to be sufficient.

During the hearing in downtown Atlanta, the judge said she had received letters from Julie's daughter, Savannah Chrisley, and many other family members, as well as from a licensed therapist for Grayson, 18, and Chloe, 11. The judge explained that in her experience, most cases involve people with young children at home, but many do not have the ability to provide the same resources – including access to therapy – as the Chrisleys.

“I am worried about the children, but [with] “With all due respect, you are not exempt from criminal offenses just because you are a parent,” she told Julie during the resentencing hearing.

After determining that her “judgment will not change,” the judge sentenced the former reality star to 84 months in prison. She also rejected a request from Julie's attorney to report back to the Kentucky prison after a 24-hour furlough.

Before receiving her sentence, Julie – who was unrecognizable with her brown hair – tearfully addressed the court, which included her eldest children, Savannah and Chase Chrisley, apologizing for her behavior to date and for how the legal case has affected her family.

“I want to say that I have had years to think about what I wanted to say and I am sorry for what I did and what I have done to get us to where we are today,” Julie said in court. “I spent 20 months in prison but it was many more months leading up to the trial and I apologize for my actions that have brought us to where we are today,” she said.

“I did everything I could to be closer to my family. I took exams to learn new skills like driving a forklift and serving food properly… it was the hardest part of my life. I can never repay my children for what they had to go through and I am so sorry,” she added.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Chrisley family's representative and attorney for comment.

The matriarch of the Chrisley family was sentenced to seven years in prison back in November 2022, while her 55-year-old husband Todd Chrisley received a 12-year sentence for fraud and tax evasion. Although their appeals process began in December of this year, they still had to report to prison in January 2023.

Following the appeal hearing in April 2024, a judge allowed Julie's appeal and overturned her seven-year sentence in June due to insufficient evidence. Todd's conviction was upheld.

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“We are pleased that the court ruled that Julie's sentence was unjustified, but we are of course disappointed that it denied Todd's appeal,” the Chrisleys' attorney, Alex Little, said in a statement to PEOPLE.

“With this step behind us, we can now appeal the couple's convictions for the illegal search that initiated the case,” Little added. “The family appreciates the continued support they have received throughout this process. And they hope for more good news in the future.”