The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department is down one deputy after her explicit adult content was discovered. No, no, not her personal collection—she was the one creating explicit content, similar to what can be found on OnlyFans. Apparently, the sheriff’s department where she worked had a big problem with her little side hustle. As a result, Shannon Lofland resigned her position after 21 years in the department. Here’s the kicker, though: the reason Lofland was creating pornographic content in the first place? She wasn’t making enough money at her 9-to-5 with Arapahoe County to make ends meet.
It wasn’t just a matter of needing a little help to pay the bills. Shannon Lofland’s family was facing at least $500,000 in storm damages, while still contending with an increasingly expensive mortgage and skyrocketing utility costs. Lofland was dedicated to her job and loved her work as an instructor with the sheriff’s department—it just wasn’t enough to support her family. Her job was essential, so why wasn’t she paid like it? At the very least, why was she effectively forced out for doing what she had to in order to provide for her family?
Shannon Lofland is far from the only woman to strip down when money gets tight. Part of why OnlyFans is wildly successful is precisely because her plight is so common. Do a quick Google search on how many teachers have been fired for starting channels to supplement salaries that barely cover the cost of living—let alone the cost of maintaining underfunded classrooms. OnlyFans gives people a legal and accessible platform to take steady steps toward financial independence. Content creators have full control over their creation and posting schedule, can engage with their subscribers as much or as little as they want, and retain full control over their earnings. Once OnlyFans takes its 20% cut, creators don’t have to wait for someone to sign a paycheck or calculate hours—their money is theirs. Given that demand for adult content has only increased over the last decade, the adult entertainment industry offers a financial stability that traditional professions like—oh, I don’t know—law enforcement, often lack.
As a 21-year department veteran, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office owed Shannon Lofland at least the courtesy of a living wage. When they couldn’t grant her that, the least they could have done was understand that their longtime employee had to make ends meet however she legally could. Instead, they prioritized policy enforcement over her well-being. Ironically, Lofland displayed more courtesy to the department than it did toward her. She chose to resign once word of her side hustle got out, rather than put the department through an investigation. Resigning denied her the time to sort out her next steps—and an extra paycheck or two. Now, she faces the uncertainty of what comes next after a decades-long career has ended. And all of this could have been avoided if the department had simply paid her enough to meet her financial obligations, instead of driving her to become an adult content creator.
Ah, society. Can’t live with it, can’t build a fully off-the-grid cabin in the woods without it. Sheriff’s deputies, teachers, teacher’s aides, nurse’s aides, the entire food service industry—these are all professions where workers often need multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Rent is expensive, groceries aren’t cheap, and many workers are also trapped in student loan debt. Until wages reflect the reality of what workers have to shell out each month just to survive, we’ll continue to see people like Shannon Lofland doing what they have to in order to keep the lights on.
As for Shannon Lofland, she’s already in the industry, and her name is all over the internet. If she chooses to lean into having her own OnlyFans channel while facing so much uncertainty about her future career options, now wouldn’t be the worst time. There’s a niche for everyone, and being famous as America’s “naughty deputy” could definitely work in her favor.
