The Relentless Redemption of Justin Spearman

by William Jones / ⠀Featured / August 11, 2025

You can’t outrun your past, but you can outgrow it. Step by step, mile by mile, Justin Spearman has chosen a path marked not by shortcuts or spotlight, but by discipline, clarity, and a refusal to let failure have the final word. His story isn’t polished for the market. It’s forged in fire, shaped by grace, and driven by a work ethic that doesn’t flinch when the road gets long. Spearman’s journey is one of rebuilding—not just reputation, but character. Every season along the way has demanded endurance, accountability, and a deeper obedience to the calling on his life.

Midland: The Ascent

At 22, Spearman began his career in the oil and gas industry with Apache Corporation before striking out on his own as an independent petroleum landman in Midland, Texas. The Permian Basin was booming, and doors opened—many of which, he says, were “undeserved,” extended by those who believed in him more than he had earned. Yet beneath the rapid momentum was a deeper unrest—a spiritual vacancy that success couldn’t satisfy. From the outside, it looked like progress. But inside, things were quietly unraveling. The grind wasn’t the issue. The lack of purpose was.

Winter Park: The Undoing

In 2013, after leaving Midland and returning to Winter Park, Florida, a quiet but intense spiritual battle began to take hold in his heart. One poor decision snowballed into another, each one chipping away at his integrity. By 2015, the consequences caught up—he was indicted for wire fraud in Texas and sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. Additional charges followed in Florida. It wasn’t just a legal collapse—it was a reckoning that revealed the cracks beneath the surface.

Wewahitchka: The Humbling

Spearman served time at Gulf Forestry Camp in the Florida Panhandle, where his days were spent clearing land and mowing grass. In the evenings, he co-led a GED program with an ex-prosecutor, helping men earn the education they never had access to. This wasn’t reputation repair—it was soul work. It was there, in sweat-soaked uniforms and simple service, that peace began to return. His understanding of faith shifted from rigid rules to restored relationships—first with others, then with God.

Cocoa: The Repetition

After Gulf Forestry Camp, Spearman transitioned to a work release program in Cocoa, Florida. He took a job at a cabinet factory, waking up at 4:30 a.m. and riding two buses each way. There was nothing flashy about it—but that was the point. Every early morning and bus transfer became a lesson in discipline. “I still carry my final 30-day bus pass in my wallet,” he says. “It reminds me that grace shows up in the grind.” This wasn’t a grand comeback. It was a quiet, committed walk in the right direction.

The Restoration

When Spearman was released in June 2021, he had a choice: excuses or action. He chose the latter. Starting from scratch, he took any landman job he could get, big or small, and quickly built a reputation for speed, precision, and trustworthiness. Soon, he wasn’t just working—he was leading the pack. By 2023, he had overseen multi-state mineral and leasehold projects with excellence and integrity.

Leadership in Redemption

Today, Spearman serves on the Young Life Committee in Fort Worth and supports Inside Out Jail Ministries—the same organization that helped transform his life from the inside out. He’s not chasing the stage. He’s building a platform that others can stand on. His vision isn’t confined to oil and gas. It’s rooted in something deeper: empowering second-chance talent, mentoring young adults, and showing through action that your past doesn’t define your potential—your response does. Justin Spearman’s redemption doesn’t rest on a dramatic return. It rests on who he became in the process: a man whose discipline speaks louder than damage, whose faith is built on obedience, and whose success is measured by impact, not image.