Hello!
My name is Jeff Piecka, but to the Bureau of Prisons, I am #44628-509. I bring this up because that number is a permanent part of my identity now. And I 100% accept that just as I 100% take responsibility as to WHY I am in Federal Prison.
Over 8 years ago, I was a VERY different person. I was in a marriage with someone whose happiness was determined by how much money we had, and I was constantly reminded how UN-happy she was. There was NEVER any hint given that I should break the law to make more money, but I made a short-term decision while I was a Bank Manager to steal government funds from a bank account whose owner had been deceased for several years (no beneficiaries) but the government was still depositing Social Security monthly. I lied and told my now x-wife that I had received “bonuses” and that my short-term decision to commit a felony obviously had long-term consequences. If you wish, on YOUTUBE, you can view an interview I did with Justin Papperny for White Collar Advice just a few days before self-surrendering. At least 5-6 people in prison have recognized me or my story from that interview! I was arrested on an ordinary Tuesday morning, I immediately admitted guilt and explained what I did and why, and eventually, I received a 34-month sentence to be served at a Federal Prison Camp.
Would you believe I am forever THANKFUL that I was arrested and sent to Federal Prison? I most certainly am, and let me explain why:
Prior to self-surrendering on June 6, 2022, I promised my current wife and my family that I WILL exit Prison a better husband, son, brother, Christian, future employee, and an overall better member of society because I would better myself in 3 ways:
Physically–Not for vanity purposes, but a better operating body equals a better operating mind.
Mentally–Only reading non-fiction books, newspapers, and magazines that educate and elevate my thinking and expand my vocabulary.
Spiritually–For ME, that means studying and being close to the Bible, but it can mean whatever “Greater Good” you believe in.
After 12 months, I fully understand what REAL discipline looks like, and I have accomplished the following during this time in Federal Prison:
**Shortly after arriving at Federal Prison and reading Michael Santos’s book “Earning Freedom: Conquering a 45-Year Prison Term”, I was inspired to help just 1 person prepare for Prison, so I began writing emails to my family that my sister uses as a Blog Post on Reddit dot com under the name “Letters From Federal Prison”. It is NOT anonymous, and it provides not only Prison advice from someone who is currently serving time but also Life advice for when we exit Prison. To date, I believe it has over 10,000 views and shares and has had several people comment about how it has helped them and their families. This has inspired me to continue to help those facing Federal Prison when I return to society at the end of the year.
**Michael Santos invited his community to write a book report on a recent book they read. It just so happened that I had recently finished reading the autobiography of Malcolm X, and I submitted a book report to Michael. He not only read it on his video blog but also invited me to write 20-25 more so he can publish and distribute them to Prisons as a way to encourage reading! I just recently submitted #20.
**After realizing the amount of wisdom that walks these Federal Prison Camp halls on a daily basis, I have helped put together classes for my fellow Prison Brothers on a variety of subjects:
–Personal Finance Classes
–Futuristic Thinking – This was specifically for a group of young minority men with the message of urgency to change how they think by talking about goal setting and other topics that will lead them to change their mindset and hopefully lead them down a path of NEVER returning to Prison. I was not the originator of this class, but I was asked to be on the “Board of Directors”.
–Trucking Company Start-Up Class – This is NOT my specialty at all, but we had 2 new arrivals that just so happened to have this background, and I helped them start a class since I knew 2 of my cell-mates wanted to enter the trucking industry and I figured there must be more. There actually were quite a few attendees.
**Finally, I have met people with a similar mindset as me that I would have never met on “The Outside” and now we will be “Brothers For Life”. Plus, a few of us have plans to not only be successful when we are released from Prison but also have shared plans on how we WILL give back to our communities.
In summary, I made a promise to my wife that I WILL better myself physically, mentally, and spiritually while I serve my prison sentence, and I have honored that promise on a daily basis. However, this daily discipline will NOT stop when I exit Prison.
My employment background was focused on Sales and Sales Management, and I was very good at what I did. Now that I have this NEW foundation PLUS this new determination to give back (I WILL one day establish a college fund for extraordinary High School Graduates who have a parent in Prison), I will be EVEN BETTER.
Thank You,
Jeff Piecka
44628-509
