Chase Chrisley Reveals How Parents Todd and Julie Communicated in Prison

Chase Chrisley is opening up about his parents Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley‘s release from federal prison — and what their lives looked like inside of it. Specifically, how they managed to communicate without being able to talk to each other over the phone.

On Wednesday, May 28, Todd and Julie, who were indicted on 12 counts of bank and wired fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy, were released from separate prisons after receiving a full pardon from President Donald Trump a day prior.

Todd and Julie were indicted in August 2019 and found guilty in June 2022. They were sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison in November 2022. After they reported to prison in January 2023, their sentence was reduced in September 2023, and two continued to appeal their case.

Chase says that during their stint in prison, Todd and Julie would often go long periods without being able to receive each other’s emails — the only means of communication they had.

“The only contact that they had was through emails, which the BOP [Federal Bureau of Prisons] would delay for weeks on end,” Chase said during an interview with Entertainment Tonight published on Wednesday, May 28.

“Maybe my dad would send her an email one day, and she wouldn’t get it for two or three weeks. It was impossible to have a conversation, but they didn’t have any — they weren’t allowed to talk on the phone. Nothing,” he said.

Prior to their release, PEOPLE announced that on May 21 that Lifetime was preparing an all-new docuseries showcasing how Chase, along with Savannah Chrisley, Grayson Chrisley, Chloe Chrisley and Nanny Faye Chrisley were navigating life with their family patriarch and matriarch in prison.

When asked if fans would get to see the moment that Todd and Julie came home from prison, Chase said “maybe,” noting that filming started before their release and “there’s no deal in place for my parents.”

While cameras were not allowed in prison, Chase said that there were cameras rolling when the family had phone calls with Todd and Julie.

“You guys will see it. And it’s just been raw reality and truth of like the struggles that we’ve been going through as a family, as individuals and how to navigate that while still staying together and holding our family together,” said Chase.

“Thankfully, now we’ve got my mom and dad back, so it just feels like a 1,000-pound weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” he added.

Asked whether Todd and Julie will be directly part of the show, Chase said “no,” but added that it’s “too early to tell” whether they will return to reality television in any format.

“We’ll have to have a family conversation about that,” he said.

A source with knowledge of the production tells PEOPLE that “the show is still filming and will continue to, though the family’s situation is evolving rapidly.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“No one knew this pardon would happen and the goal is to cover their lives in real time, but things have significantly changed for them all and everyone in the family, as well as producers, are trying to figure it out and tell their authentic story,” said the source.