I married a rapist serving 20 years in prison – love can blossom anywhere

A British woman has married an American man serving 20 years behind bars for rape, declaring that “love can bloom no matter who you are”.

A British woman has married an American man serving 20 years behind bars for rape.

Gemma Morgan, 31, tied the knot with Leonel Vasquez, 31, inside a Virginia prison on December 29 – less than two years after they began exchanging messages online, New York Post reports.

“I still get the butterflies every time he calls or his name pops up on a message. Love can blossom no matter where you are,” the Scotland-based bride told South West News Service of her husband, who has been incarcerated since 2011.

Morgan claimed she doesn’t care about her man’s criminal conviction as she’s “not marrying his past”.

The pair first came into contact in early 2021 after Morgan began taking online Spanish lessons with a woman who was based in the US.

The tutor eventually mentioned that she had a son the same age as Morgan who was currently incarcerated. After learning that they shared common interests, the Scottish singleton decided to send Vasquez a message.

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Gemma Morgan tied the knot with Leonel Vasquez inside a Virginia prison on December 29. Picture: SWNS

“We just connected straight away. We have the same sense of humour,” she said.

“We both love ’90s music, and have the same favourite films.”

After several months of messaging back and forth, the pair took their relationship to the next level and started talking over the phone.

During one of their first phone conversations, Ms Morgan quizzed Vasquez on his rape conviction, saying: “Initially I thought, ‘Oh yes, that’s a very serious thing to be convicted of.’”

The couple began exchanging emails online in early 2021. Picture: SWNS

“I asked him to tell me the whole story on the phone – that was very important to me,” she said, adding that she felt “very reassured by talking to him about it”.

“He was very, very young when it happened. Plus he’s done so much in prison to better himself.”

Ms Morgan finally travelled to the US in April last year and met Vasquez in person for the first time during a supervised prison visit.

For the inmate, it was also love at first sight.

“Our first kiss made my heart skip a beat. I knew I had found my future wife,” he told South West News Service.

“I longed for someone to truly love me for who I am. But I thought, ‘Why would anyone want me?’

“I will never forget the day Gemma messaged me. I had to re-read her message about 10 times. It was just so perfect. We had all these things in common – just the vibe and energy behind her words made me feel happy.”

‘Love can blossom no matter who you are,’ Gemma Morgan said. Picture: SWNS

Leonel Vasquez has been behind bars in the US since 2011. Picture: SWNS

Three months after their first visit, Vasquez proposed over the phone and they made plans to tie the knot.

Ms Morgan and Vasquez were married by a celebrant last month, with the only witnesses being the two guards in the room.

However, the bride said that the guards permitted her to kiss, hug and hold hands with her new husband – and they were even able to share a first dance with the music in their heads.

The couple said both of their families support the union and they hope Vasquez could be free in as little as four years owing to good behaviour behind bars.

Ms Morgan with her new mother-in-law, who was her online Spanish tutor. Picture: SWNS

They plan to settle in a Spanish-speaking country once he has completed his probation.

Vasquez can’t wait until the day he finally leaves prison and is sure his wife will be by his side.

“I love her personality and she is beautiful,” he said.

“She’s a woman I never imagined even in my greatest dreams.”

Meanwhile, Ms Morgan has shut down haters who say she’s wasting her time on a man who’s in prison.

“Love doesn’t wait,” she said. “We’re looking to the future. He just completes me.”

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission