It’s been two weeks since I arrived at camp. The facility is full, housing around 255 inmates. The population seems split roughly in half: about 50% are here for drug charges (mostly intent to distribute), and the other half, like me, are white-collar offenders. I believe I’m the only one here for money laundering. There are a few campaign finance violators, which surprises me, considering how commonplace—and almost legal—bribing politicians seems to be in the U.S. One guy is here due to a major crypto company takedown, charged with wire fraud. It seems wire fraud is the government’s go-to charge when they can’t pin down a specific law – the same thing my brother was ultimately charged with.
There are quite a few inmates convicted of government fraud, from defrauding Medicare to stealing PPP loans. The hardest part for them is the restitution they have to pay, which is deducted directly from their commissary accounts. The amount deducted each month is based on their highest commissary deposit month. So, if an inmate deposits $600 in their best month, $300 will be deducted every month going forward, even if their deposits drop to $300 or less. This creates a real hardship, especially since many inmates load up their commissary accounts in the first month to buy essentials like clothes, toiletries, and laundry supplies. I’m fortunate not to have that burden.
Everyone here is non-violent and generally pretty agreeable. I haven’t had any confrontations. One guy got a little worked up about my atheism, but he got over it. I did hear about a fight a couple of days before I arrived. Both inmates involved were in the RDAP (Residential Drug Abuse Program), which can reduce a sentence by up to a year. This camp is one of the few that offers RDAP, making it a popular choice for inmates. Both brawlers were expelled from the program, highlighting how a moment of lost control can have serious consequences.
I’m hoping to get into RDAP myself. Acceptance requires an interview, which I haven’t had yet. They’re waiting for my release paperwork to arrive—red tape. Hopefully, it’ll come through this week. Next week, I have a team meeting to meet my case manager, counselor, and other members of my rehabilitation team. After that, I can interview for RDAP. I’ve been told I have a good chance of being accepted. If everything goes smoothly, I could be in the March RDAP class. They usually time releases to coincide with the end of the nine-month program. With RDAP and the First Step Act in my file, I could be out by December, or at least back on house arrest. If I miss the March class, I’ll be in the June class and hopefully out by next March. It would be fantastic to be out by my 43rd birthday. I originally thought I’d be in prison well into my 50s, so things are looking up.
If you’re reading this, thank you for your support. Knowing people are following my journey gives me a boost every day in this otherwise gloomy place.
0 Comments