I am a high school graduate. I trained Standardbred racehorses for 15 years. I never really cared for the racing part of the industry but I loved the horses. It was nothing for me to work 10-14 hour days taking care of them. I love the saying ” If you love what you do it is not considered work.” Later in life, I transitioned into a position of a collections department for an equine veterinarian practice. I was extremely good in this position. Because of my follow-through nature, organizational skills, and trustworthiness, along with an ability to adapt in stressful situations, I was asked to step up into additional roles. I eventually became a satellite office for my employer’s multi-state practice. I was now doing billing for a portion of my employer’s clients, ordering supplies for the practice, receiving, facilitating the means of delivering, and confirmation of delivery, along with collections. Through my consistent actions over the years, the clients of this office trusted that when I told them to expect their delivery of the supplies they needed for the care of their animal it would in fact be on time and accurate or I would make it right immediately. I believe that everyone’s time is valuable and that time is money in business. I am a person that is old school, my word is my bond. I say what I mean and I do what I say. It is my belief that the world is currently lacking in this value along with many other morals of the past generations. These office clients knew that I was always honest, and fair and that my attention to detail made their lives and bookkeeping easier. I am also the type of person that looks for the win-win types of solutions to problems. An example of this is when I was on pre-trial a friend from Helene Honduras told me of a dreadful situation on the island. A herd of horses was starving due to the owner dying and the situation of the property under Honduran government law. The island’s local rescue could not provide hay due to a drought on the island and the reverse situation happening on the mainland Honduras. Their fields on the mainland were saturated from too much rain and the hay was moldy and unusable. Even though I have never been wealthy and now more than ever, I have always given from my heart. So, from my home in Delaware, with permission from my lawyers, I sent down a day’s pay to a local villager and his family. They went up into the jungle behind their village to cut down the long grass that grows up on the hills. They then proceeded to drag the cut grass out of the jungle and load it onto a boat. They then drove the boat over to the side of the island where the horses were being kept. I coordinated another volunteer to help unload the grass to feed the horses. This all happened during the pandemic so this particular villager too was in need as well for he was lacking in income and his family was also on the verge of starving. The amount that I sent to him was equivalent to one day’s pay in the United States. This amount was enough for this man to feed his family for the month. So with that one phone call that I made, a man fed his family and the horses got fed as well, which is a win-win in my book. I am a loyal reliable self-sufficient employee. I worked for this veterinarian for 16 years. Then one day in 2020 I was blindsided by a government no-knock warrant. It was a military-style attack on my home and family. I have zero criminal history. I had never received a cease and desist letter, a phone call, text, or email from anyone of authority. There wasn’t even a paper letter in the mail informing me of any wrongdoing of my actions as an office employee. I was eager to go to trial for I believe in right and wrong and the truth being told. I wanted the truth of my case to come out. I am a person that lives in the light. Sadly though, that was not what happened during my trial. I am currently under appeal for multiple reasons. Even with the appeals pending, I chose to self-surrender while my public defender fight my innocence in court. At this point, I just want this whole thing behind me and to move forward to a new chapter of my life. During my pre-trial period ( 2 1/2 years) I gained new employment at a local produce stand, received a certificate for an online bookkeeping course, became Quick Books certified, and started pet sitting in my area and home. I have always liked to stay busy and positive in any situation regardless of the circumstances. Since my incarceration, I have volunteered in the kitchen and currently have taken a job in the FCI camp as a forklift operator in the Food Service Warehouse. My daily job requires me to work 8 hours per day 5 days a week. One of my job requirements is to build heavy pallets of food to be delivered to the three facilities here at the FCI Danbury compound. I have learned how to use all 3 forklifts at work and I will be fully certified in their usage upon my release. The food service warehouse is hard work and a challenging job but I love it. It requires a person to be able to focus, assess a situation and adapt daily to new issues that arise. This incarceration period has allowed me to be pushed out of my comfort zone and it has given me time to inquire within myself to see my resistance or abilities that I was not aware existed in me. In my spare time, I am also teaching a weekly yoga class to the other woman in the camp. For without our health, we have nothing. I am happy to contribute to helping women in here feel better about themselves and achieve their goals of becoming healthier. While in here many women have asked me what brought me in here. After hearing my story, the first thing they ask is “How can I be so happy when I know that I am innocent and yet still in here ?” I say to them, whether you are innocent or guilty it is all the same once you are here. It is hard for all of us no matter the circumstances and at this security level, it is my opinion that none of us belong in here.( Yet, Another thing for the courts to figure out ) But, One of the first things that I say to someone that recently arrived to Danbury is that this period or season of your life is all about perspective. If you look for the bad you will find it, but if you look for the good you will find that as well. Just shift your viewpoint or lenses that you are looking through and your days will be much happier no matter where you are in life. I tell them that this conviction will not define us. I say it is how we move forward from here and the positive steps that we take each day that will matter. I have always been a God-loving, compassionate, caring, and giving person. I am determined that this period of my life will not change that about me. It is funny, but when the judge sentenced me the first thought that came to my mind was not about me but it was about the villagers of Helene Honduras. It was my husband and my dream to bring clean water to this 3rd world village. My husband has the skill and knowledge to install this system for the community and I was hoping to be able to pay for it along with aiding in the installation of it. In the courtroom I was not thinking about abandoning our dream but how was I now going to be able to pay for this fresh water well for the village without a job? Funny the things that come up when you are in a state of trauma or shock. After some contemplation the answer became clear. It was always there but I just didn’t see it. I know now, that God will provide if it is meant to be. I have come to terms with perhaps my role in this circumstance may no longer be financial. Perhaps someone else will step into those shoes and have that blessing and I have another role to play in this game we call life. Either way, I am choosing to stay positive. I try to see the blessings in life and it is my goal to be a blessing to those I encounter here at FCI Danbury & Beyond! I am excited to see what the future holds for me and all of you!
Lisa Giannelli
FCI Danbury Camp #09555-015
