Keeping it real.

Bachelor Nation got to know Clayton Echard on Season 18 of “The Bachelorette” and again on Season 26 of “The Bachelor” as the leading man. 

For the past few years, Clayton has been facing a paternity scam because a woman, now identified as Laura Owens, falsely claimed the former Bachelor was the father of her unborn twins.

After some investigating, Clayton discovered she is allegedly a full-time scam artist, and he was reportedly the fourth person she’s done this to. 

Since then, he’s been working to clear his name and get justice for himself and the other three people involved.

Last week, it was reported that Laura has entered into a plea agreement in the paternity allegation.

According to 12 News, Laura “pleaded guilty to two counts of fraudulent schemes and artifices, one count of taking identity of another, and one count of perjury.”

Now, Clayton is sharing his unfiltered thoughts on the plea deal in a new video online. In the post he stated, “It’s the first time that we’ve seen Laura take any accountability in this matter. And we go to sentencing now on October 23rd, where I can ask for harsher sanctions, which I will ask for them. But upon yesterday’s ending of the court hearing, I found myself telling the other guys, the victims, that I felt it was anti-climactic what occurred yesterday and I felt numb and emotionless. And I couldn’t understand why that was.”

Clayton went on to explain that he realized his “healing was not contingent upon what occurred yesterday” and that he’s already healed. He expressed that he’s “grateful” for this experience because he’s proud of the person he’s become through it all. “I wouldn't have become this version of me without the adversity, and so I’ve already found the silver lining. It does not really matter to me what happens to Laura at this point,” he said.

Clayton did share that he felt proud however, because it felt like justice was being served. He was also proud of Laura for taking accountability. 

“That’s not lost upon me how huge that was. I think that’s a major potentially life altering step in Laura’s life where her taking a sliver of accountability yesterday could be the turning point for her. And I want that for Laura. I want Laura to heal, I want Laura to see brighter days,” he stated. “That’s why I’m gonna ask that Laura face some prison time because I don’t believe that she has the capability of healing in this external environment. In this world that she’s currently in.”

“She’s shown that she is a threat to others and so I believe she deserves to, or rather, needs to go to prison to be separated from her environment so that she can hopefully heal within there and then give her a second chance to come out to the real world and prove that she can be a better person.”

Clayton stated that he’s “rooting” for Laura to rise above and bring a sense of healing to others who have been negatively impacted by this situation. “There is more healing in Laura’s redemption than there is in her destruction. And so those are my thoughts, and I hope that we can see that day,” he shared.