EGPD
The split twisted tongue maneuver, the ear gauges, the face tats, and the at once hard-core and endearing attitude have made Megan “Monster” Hawkins one of the most compelling characters on Netflix’s reality doc “Jailbirds.”
Hawkins, 29, claims she had a good life in New York with a tony tattoo shop a few years ago, but to make ends meet, did side hustles, she called them, namely hustling drugs, which landed her in jail.
When Hawkins was released she headed west and continued her lifestyle which included drugs and crime. A boisterous and tough inmate, she shows another side too, the side that vowed to change her life when released.
Megan “Monster” Hawkins was arrested Friday and sent back to the Sacramento County Jail after trying a bank fraud hustle that did not go to plan. She was recognized.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Police Say Hawkins, with ‘Monster’ Tattooed Above Her Left Eye, Was Quickly Recognized When Using an Allegedly Stolen ID Trying to Setup an Account in an Elk Grove Bank
According to a post on the Elk Grove Police Department Facebook page, “On Friday, officers responded to a call regarding a suspicious circumstance at a bank in the 9100 block of Bruceville Road. The bank told our call taker that a female was inside the bank trying to open a checking and savings account with an identification card, not in her name. The bank became suspicious and called us after a witness recognized the female as Megan ‘Monster’ Hawkins from the Netflix show Jailbirds<" the police wrote.
"Before officers arrived, Hawkins walked out of the bank to an unknown location."
Megan “Monster” Hawkins spoke with us from the Sacramento County Jail about her arrest on Friday. She says she’s innocent and plans to fight the charges in court. The full story on @FOX40 at 5 and 6.
"Officers arrived on scene and learned the vehicle Hawkins had driven to the bank was a reported stolen vehicle. Officers located Hawkins a short distance away and detained her. A search of the reported stolen vehicle led to the discovery of several credit cards in different people’s names. A search of Hawkins`s property led to the discovery of a controlled substance."
2. Featured in Netflix’ ‘Jailbirds,’ Megan ‘Monster’ Hawkins Has a Lot of Screen Time & is Involved in A Lot of Drama
She says she’s a “fiery mix of good & bad. Throw in hopeless romantic, a pinch of sass, sprinkled with ink. #Monster.”
In the show, which some have said romanticized the life of incarcerated women, appears a slick production, but the lives being led could hardly be called endearing. In a number of segments, Hawkins is featured where in one case she refuses to tell on her cellie who had made jail juice, a fermented pilfered fruit concoction that is both a potent alcoholic drink and contraband. She appears as both fearsome and loyal.
She says in a number of clips she plans on getting her life together when released. The show was filmed in late 2017 and 2018. She was 28 when she was filmed and is now 29.
3. Monster’s Previous Record Included Grant Theft Auto. She’s Now Facing a String of Felonies
After doing a few months in an East Coast jail for drugs, Hawkins moved to California and settled, of sorts, in Sacramento. At age 27, she was convicted on charges including grand theft auto, passing bad checks, drug possession and sale
Now, with her arrest this weekend, Hawkins’ new charges include four felonies and a misdemeanor drug charge. The felonies include stealing and possessing a stolen car, using a stolen ID, forging bank documents, probation violation and a drug possession charge.
She’s being held on $10,000 bail.
4. ‘Monster’ Claims She Had a Tattoo Shop on Fifth Avenue in NYC & Did the Tattoo Convention Circuit. But Her Involvement With Drugs & Crime Ended That Career
Hawkins said that she lived on the East Coast and in New York City, in particular. She said she was happy there and had tattoo parlor.
She said she often did tattoo trade shows. But she said she needed to supplement that with “side hustles,” among them, selling drugs, Which landed her in jail.
5. Just a Few Days Before Her Arrest, She Posted a Photo Facebook That Garnered Hundreds of ‘Likes’ From Fans, Many of Whom are Disappointed
“I’m blessed,” she wrote. “My struggles have molded me to be a stronger woman.”
“Wow, just watched this yesterday. Certainly can recognize her. Not very smart, at end of show her getting out she said I am going to turn my life around,” a Facebook commenter wrote.
Hawkins told a reporter that she’s worried her fame is also her curse.
“Because I’m on the Netflix documentary I feel like it’s like the perfect opportunity for them to like really slap the book at me. And that’s like what I’m nervous about.”
But a lot of fans noted her new bid means she’ll be perhaps back for a second season of “Jailbirds.”
“Oh good now she can be featured on the next season lol.” More than 100 liked that comment.