My name is Mario Lesesne and I’m 44 years old. I am a Military Adult in custody, housed in the BOP. While doing an overseas tour in Germany I was arrested and incarcerated for Murder. I crime that I am deeply remorseful for. One I think about every day. It’s hard for me to deal with it at times because during the night of the incident, I have no recollections of the actions I took. The whole night was a blur due to intoxicant and a possible drugging with parties involved. I never let that shirk my responsibilities and I took full accountability for my actions. I am very regretful for that night and the pain I’ve caused the victims and their families, to include my family.
I have no violence in my history. I am a first time offender. I’ve never been in trouble in my life But I knew doing the right thing was what I had to do and accepted all responsibility for my role and accepted my fate and punishment. I live a life full of remorse for the victims I hurt, and their families. I’ve taken everything I’ve done into deep consideration and reflected upon my actions; endured bouts of insomnia and depression trying to figure out how my life ended up this way. I realized I needed answers. So, I began therapy, programs, and classes so that I may further understand myself, the effects my actions had on others, and how to never to be the person I was on the night I was incarcerated and committed my crimes.
While in the Military prison I took courses such as: Assault of Offenders; Reason & Rehabilitation; and 7 Habits of Highly effective people. I became FEMA Certified, held jobs in Embroidery, Graphic Arts, and textiles where I became certified as a Textile repairman through a 1080 hour apprenticeship and have clocked 2955 Department of labor hours before transferring to the BOP.
I was transferred to the BOP in November 2013 where I began programming immediately. I took 9 month Challenge program at USP McCreary, one of the BOP’s premiere residential rehabilitative drug and treatment programs. In Challenge, I was afforded the opportunity of receiving both individual and group therapy and counseling. This gave me the critical insight that I needed to effectively address the impact that my crime had on my victims, and their families, including its ripple effect of the collective society as a whole. It was there I discovered there are no victimless crimes.’ Whether it is someone physically or sexually assaulted, verbally abused, the tax payers contribution to building prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities for housing Adult’s in custody. Consequently, the whole community and general public pays and ends up impacted by criminal activities through the cost sharing burden for constructing correctional centers nationwide.
I then transferred to USP Terre Haute, I became a Suicide Companion Cadre, a program where Adult’s in custody offer their time in four hour shifts, to visually supervise those who are place on Suicide watch due to having potentially life-threatening emergencies and make observations that are recorded in 15 minute intervals. We also conduct quarterly training sessions to within good standings of the Psychology services.
I took the 18 month Residential Life Connections program, a program that consist of 38 graduation requirements, 500 hours of community service, 3 Word of the day presentations 15-minutes long, 3 Victim impact programs, Mentoring, 150 hours of Addiction programming, 6 self program activities, 60 day Wellness program, Mock job fair, a resume and Release plan. After completion I didn’t have anything to participate in, so I decided to retake the Challenge Program. I became a Mentor and a Community manager, which I volunteered to incorporate into my daily activities. I assisted with administrative duties as well as help with the daily Community meeting to provide assistant to participants in the program. I also tracked the needs of other participants in regards to their phases within the program and acted as a liaison for those not yet actively in the phase that attended classes. Those Adult’s in custody where Challenge wait. I developed a curriculum with the blessing of Dr. Davis for the “Wait status participants” so that they may be prepared when they officially start the program. I also taught a self-help group Beyond the cell, and offered a curriculum I designed that fosters discussions within groups for those who may have issues and struggles while transitioning into their change being in a therapeutic environment.
I’m currently at FCI Williamsburg. I’ve worked the last three years as a sewing machine operator and as a Quality Assurance Manager at Unicorp Industries a FSA rehabilitation program that teaches job skills. I have invested over 4000 hours to work ethic training, supervision and leadership as a Quality Assurance Manager, I inspect the Molle 4000 rucksack, I’m responsible for coordinating corrective actions in Quality Assurance monthly reports and daily summary reports.
I recently was chosen to become and work as a Peer Specialist, in Psychology, which consist of an Apprenticeship program were we document hours in several areas of progress: 100 Hours of Suicide prevention, 100 Hours of Recognizing Mental Health symptoms, 100 hours of Interpersonal Boundaries, 500 hours of Individual Listening/Communicating Skills, 200 hours of Group Communication and I teach Drug Education for Psychology services. I also teach Parenting for Reentry. I am a part of the FEMA work crew, which makes and places sandbags around the compound, during hurricane season, to ensure the living domiciles and various departments are protected from potential flood damage. I have almost 50 ACE classes through education and also psychology course. Those include, 7 Habits of highly effective people, Anger Management, Domestic Violence, 4 Health Seminars, Money Smart, Stock Investing, Parenting 1 and 2 to include Inside out dads, Safety 4 hazard communications, FEMA Certified, Certified Logistic Associate and various Recreation classes. And I’m in the process, God willing, to become the Fairshake Coordinator for the Education Department here at FCI Williamsburg.
My primary focus has been on sustaining the tools that I have learned from long-term rehabilitation and life recovery by learning from my past poor and irrational choices. Since I’ve maintained clear conduct while incarcerated and have program involvement, it has help lower my recidivism. And I hope to use the training and tools I’m learning as a Peer Specialist to affect change in my community when I arrive home from incarceration. I also hope that my story can be inspiration for someone to take the journey of change for themselves. I’ve learned that in order to truly change, you must change your core beliefs and your surroundings.
