Back in April, Ryan Edwards was sentenced to one year in prison for stalking and harassing his estranged wife, Mackenzie Standifer.

At the time, Edwards was already on probation, and when the police eventually found him, he was passed out in his car from an apparent drug overdose.

Needless to say, it looked as though Ryan would be locked up for a very long time.

But when it comes to the criminal justice system, Ryan Edwards is one lucky SOB.

Last month, a judge offered Edwards a furlough so that he could attend a four-week inpatient rehab program.

Earlier this week, Ryan was back in court for a progress report, and the same judge allowed him to spend the next chunk of his sentence at a sober living house for recovering addicts.

If he successfully completes the program, then Ryan will likely have a good deal of time shaved off his sentence, meaning that he might complete his one-year bid without spending more than a few weeks in actual prison.

It’s a good thing when a judge decides to treat addiction as a medical issue rather than a moral failing, but the fact is, Ryan’s crimes were pretty brutal.

The guy broke into the house where his wife and kids live and trashed the place so badly that they were forced to relocate.

As a result, Teen Mom fans have been quite vocal in their complaints about Ryan’s latest slap on the wrist.

But an unexpected supporter has come to his defense.

In recent months, Ryan and baby mama Maci Bookout have managed to repair their relationship for the sake of their teenage son, Bentley.

Obviously, Maci wants Ryan to get better for Bentley’s sake, and so she’s been supporting his recovery process — and clapping back at those who wish to see him locked up for good.

In her latest pro-Ryan message, Maci never actually mentions her ex by name, but her intention is clear.

“When a flashlight grows dim or quits working, you don’t throw it away, you change the batteries,” she wrote on her Instagram Story.

“When a person messes up and finds themselves in a dark place, do you cast them aside? Of course not. You help them change their batteries.”

Clearly, that was Maci’s way of defending Ryan without actually butting heads with any of his haters.

We respect that she wants what’s best for her son, and this case, that means she wants Ryan to turn his life around.

But it’s not hard to see why many of Maci’s fans might have a very hard time forgiving the guy.

Maci Bookout to Fans: Stop Making Fun of Ryan Edwards! It’s Not His Fault … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.