Love Island USA season 8 contestant Sean Reifel navigates a custody battle with his ex while facing backlash for quitting the police force to join the reality show. The 29-year-old from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania filed a custody complaint against his ex Nicole Santiago on January 17, 2025, over their son Ravello, who was then eight months old.
Quick Facts
- Sean filed for custody in January 2025 when his son was eight months old; Ravello is now two years old.
- A judge granted shared legal custody, with Sean receiving three days of custody every ten days.
- Sean was sworn in as a Bethlehem police officer in August 2025, less than a year before resigning.
- Mayor J. William Reynolds said the city spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on Sean’s police academy training.
The judge’s custody order granted both parents shared legal custody and the right to make major decisions on medical, religious, and educational issues. Sean was living in California when the order was issued but committed to relocating to Pennsylvania, where his son and ex reside.
Sean followed through on that promise. He moved to Pennsylvania in summer 2025 and was sworn in as an officer with the Bethlehem Police Department in August. Photos from that day show him smiling alongside police officials.
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However, less than a year later, Sean resigned from the force on May 20, 2026, to compete on Love Island USA season 8. The departure drew swift criticism from Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds, who publicly expressed disappointment over the decision.
“Our police department spent a lot of time training and we paid thousands of taxpayer dollars to send him to the police academy. We are disappointed he left as we now have another vacancy in our department that is impossible to fill until next year.”
Mayor J. William Reynolds, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
The custody order includes a non-disparagement clause requiring both parents to encourage their son to respect the other party and prohibiting negative comments about each other, particularly on social media. The custody case remains ongoing, and it’s unclear how Sean’s time filming in Fiji will affect his co-parenting arrangement.
Sources
- The U.S. Sun — exclusive reporting on the custody complaint filed January 17, 2025, custody arrangement details, and Sean’s police resignation date of May 20, 2026
- AOL.com — details on the custody order, shared legal custody terms, and Mayor Reynolds’ statement
- 6abc Philadelphia — confirmation of Sean’s resignation and Mayor Reynolds’ remarks on taxpayer spending
