MY STORY
I didn’t know what was coming either.
I was 22 years old when I was arrested and suddenly found myself inside a system I did not understand. I was confused, anxious and had very little idea what was going to happen next.
FEDERAL SENTENCE
IN CUSTODY
MEDIUM. LOW. CAMP.
I’VE LIVED IT.
THE BEGINNING
I was completely unprepared.
While I was being held in San Francisco, I met an older man who had significant experience in the state prison system. He recognized immediately how unprepared I was and began explaining things no lawyer or court document had prepared me for: how to conduct myself, what to expect, how to observe the environment around me and how to avoid unnecessary problems.
His guidance changed the way I approached what was ahead.
ANOTHER CHANCE ENCOUNTER
Someone who had lived it helped me understand what came next.
Later, while being transported through the federal system, I met another man who had already served more than a decade in federal prison. He helped me contact my family when they did not know where I was, and over the time we spent together he explained the federal system to me in a way I could actually understand.
He helped prepare me mentally and practically for the years ahead.
WHAT STAYED WITH ME
Experience gave me something information alone couldn’t.
I was incredibly fortunate to meet both of these men. Their experience gave me something I desperately needed at the time: perspective, preparation and a clearer understanding of what I was walking into.
I could not control the sentence. But I could understand more about what was coming and make better decisions about how I approached my time.
MY FEDERAL EXPERIENCE
Medium. Low. Camp.
I faced a mandatory minimum of 60 months, was sentenced to 70 months and served 50 months in total custody. I began at a medium-security institution, moved to a low-security institution where I completed RDAP, and finished at a federal prison camp.
MEDIUM
Where my federal sentence began.
LOW
Where I continued my sentence and completed RDAP.
CAMP
Where I finished my time in federal custody.
WHY I DO THIS
I had people prepare me. Most people don’t.
Years later, those experiences became one of the reasons I created Federal Prison Preparation. Most people entering federal custody will never have the chance encounters I had.
My goal is to give clients and their families the benefit of firsthand experience before they enter the system, when preparation can make the greatest difference.
WHAT I CAN HELP WITH
Preparation, not promises.
I help clients understand general processes, prepare questions, think through family communication and approach the transition with realistic expectations. My guidance includes experience-based education around self-surrender, intake, daily routines, security-level differences, structure and RDAP terminology.
I am not a lawyer and do not provide legal advice. I do not control Bureau of Prisons decisions and cannot guarantee designation, security level, program eligibility, placement, release dates, sentence reductions, safety or any legal outcome.
IF YOU’RE FACING THIS NOW
Tell me what you’re facing.
You don’t need to have all the questions figured out. We can start with where you are right now.
Book a free 30-minute consultationPrivate. No judgment. No pressure.