My name is Jarrett and I am currently incarcerated in a federal prison serving a 504-month sentence. I am 43 years old and have been gone since Mother’s Day 2006. During this incarceration, I have matured and grown into a man of substance. My first time away from society occurred when I was 14 in 1994. I was born and raised in tough neighborhoods and all I wanted was money because I thought it translated to happiness. I was taught the right things by the wrong people. Growing up in a gang culture you get taught Do’s and Dont’s which are good words. The actions involved are totally opposite of the words and after coming to the understanding I currently am at I realized I was tricked as a youth and I hate it! Years of living the criminal lifestyle came to a head on Mother’s Day 2006. I got convicted of two bank robberies and two firearm offenses that resulted in a 504-month sentence. I have done everything imaginable to accumulate lots of money. I thought money was happiness because not having money is misery. Bad decisions led me to this sentence not mistakes. From the age of 12 until my last day of freedom in 2006 there wasn’t a day I didn’t have a gun on me. Thinking about my past and all the people I’ve affected negatively drove me to change and try and help as many people as I possibly can. I started preparing for success when I realized committing crimes was not in me anymore. My thoughts wasnt on negativity and plotting and planning for a big score. In 2013 a friend at USP Caanan gave me a book called “the secret”. he gave me the book because he said “You are never happy and are so negative”. He told me about his thoughts. It took a while for me to finally grasp and accept this new info. New thoughts bought a book called “rich dad, poor dad” into my life. This book changed my life and put me on the correct path. I finally got out of the USP and made it to FCI Oxford. I started taking psych programs that dealt with criminal thinking and emotional recognition. That led to me joining the suicide companion program. Throughout this new path, I knew that wanting to change alone wasn’t enough to succeed. I had to eliminate things and people that negatively influenced me and replaced them with positive and productive people and activities. Math and money were so important to me that the universe introduced the financial market into my life. I became a reader of the wall street journal and subscriber to industry magazines and a purchaser of technical and strategy books. I study a few hours everyday and teach those interested in what I know and continue to learn. this led to me investigating business entities, credit, and taxes, so now if it doesn’t deal with business I’m not interested unless… it’s about helping people. Mr Santos came to FCI Oxford a few months ago and listening to him was what I needed in my life. I had changed me a long time ago but I didn’t do it to the max. Listening to how he was writing books and writing letters to people on the streets that could help him be successful never entered my mind as a route I could take (not book writing). I knew I wanted to help the youth and underserved communities. I want to teach the youth financial literacy and a new way to make money that doesn’t involve crime. I knew I was going to volunteer with organizations that helped at-risk youth, the elderly, the homeless, etc.. But I was waiting until I got out to start. Now I know I have to really get on this if I want to help it’s no time to waste. I am currently taking a Michael Santos program called “Preparing for Success” and listening to those that were in the spot I’m currently in and went home and became helluva people in the community doing all kinds of great things and are constantly growing is very inspiring.
