@howard , @Koldunya , I am not trying to get politics involved in any way shape or form.
I am not asking for stmpathy or even empathy, although I appreciate all the support @Wombat-metal , @autumnsdad1990 , @TNKA36, @Paul and everybody else that has posted words of support.
If you think I am guilty if a hainous crime and deserve what time I am getting i respect your views, and put up no arguments against you.
I am really just telling you why I may dissappear at some point in this year for a long break, that I do not yet know when and how long.
I did, as I figured, get a first court date set today for May 2nd.
I figured I would get it today since I signed the Plea and my Lawyer handed it over to the prosecutors last Friday.
This court date is for me to plead guilty to the lesser charges that are in the plea ageement, not the charge that was on my inditment arrest warrant that was served at the time of my arrest at my home on April 7th of last year.
They sent in a guy saying he was maintenance at my apartment building, and said sombody crashed into my car in the parking lot.
I was sleeping around 9 am, and said “IDGAF, leave me alone”
Then they called twice and I didnt answer.
Finally they got a key from the front office and busted my door open, and I was still in bed, and saif I dont care, leave me the F alone"
But he wouldnt go away, and said, you got to come out here this guy nailed your car and he is drunk and the cops are down there to arrest him, but they need you to show proof of ownership… or some shit like that.
So I asked him to close the front door do I could change.
He wouldnt close it all the way, and was watching me the whole time (i guess to make sure I was not getting any weapons, but I dont have any, I am not a big weapon type person, no offense to anybody who is, but me becoming a fellon and losing my 2nd ammendment right dorsnt bother me one bit. I am much more concerned and ashamed with losing my right to vote, that stings. Not being able to have guns doesnt even leave a mark on me) and I knew something was a little off, but I just woke up and was not thinking really clear.
As soon as I walked out of my house and turned the corner to head to the stairs down to the oarking garage, there was a guy waiving, saying “hey I hit your car”
This is when I noticed about 3 guys behind me, and saw him and said, Oh well, shit happens (about the car), and thats when a uniformed police officer said my name, and I said yes,
He said, my full name, and said “I have a federal inditment for your arrest”
I was shocked and confused, and said, "what? Is this some kind of joke, am I being “Punked”.
But he was serious as a heart attack, and said dont move, keep your hands where I can see them, and put both hands behing your head and dont move.
He came at me like I was a crazed killer type, all cautios like, and when he got to my face he said turn around, and then he cuffed me and walked me out of the apartments with about 6 plain clothed cops and two unniform Costa Mesa PD, where I was greeted by two familiar faces, the two DEA agents that took my phone over a year before this day.
Thats when I kind of figured out what was going on, but I still didnt know the charces and what was happening or what was coming next.
They put me in the back of a ford explorer.
There is no extra room in there, and I am a big guy, and I am very clausterphobic.
I asked where are we going, Costa Mesa PD (about a 5 min drive) or Orange County Jail? (About a 15 min drive
They sid, no bud, your case is in LA, we got about a 45 min to an hour drive.
I was panicing, asking tgem, please, come on guys, at least put the cuffs on in front of me, not behind my back.
Nope
I am disabled, I got bad knees that dont bend like that, at least get me a medical transport.
Nope, get in and enjoy the ride.
At least the guy drove fast, and opened the window for me, but there were bars so I couldnt put my head out.
(I think the thing I am mist afraid of about the whole thing is times of transport where they jam you in tight places with others at times, and the claustrohobia will set off panic attacks.)
This was Federal, and I didnt really get what that was and what it meant til I got thru processing at the Twin Towers (La County Jail on one side, and U.S. Marshals on the other side. That was my side.
It didnt say jail anywhere on that side, it says PRISON.
They never read my rights, I never got a phone call, they took forever holding me in one cell with no windows or doors to another, and anotger, where at only one time dud I talk to one of tge DEA agents for about 5 minutes where he told me , we got you for this charge with a 20 year sentance, and I am tginking to myself "what is this guy smoking, wtf do you think you got on me? I got no record you never busted me, I never been busted before, how the fuck do you gigure “you got me”?
I was never questioned just told that, and he kind of hinted something if I cooperated and they can get this other guy, maybe tgey can help me, but maybe not, cuz its up to the U.S.District Attourney, etc…
I was never intertogated. The indictment is all they needed and the Feds can do whatever they want.
It is nothing like the movies or TV at all.
I was put in a cell, after dinner, but I was not hungry cuz I was starting to go into withdrawals from my prescribed Suboxone.
I didnt sleep that night, the next morning they came for me, walked me to the door out of the pod with about 4 other prisinors and made us face the wall, and chained aaround our chest with hand cuffs to the chain, and the chain went down to connect to another chain that had leg shackles on it, full lock down.
Then they marched us thru halls, and in an elevator, and other halls and other elevator, always told to face the wall anytime anybody else is in the hall, or while waiting for the elevator, and while in the elevator, then we got to an area with individual cells, about the size of a small bathroom, with a video monotor on the other side of the glass.
We were locked in individual rooms, with a tiny uncomfortable stool bolted to the cement, snd they still left us fully shackled.
It was like a visiting type set up, but it was video court.
About 20 min before I saw the judge, a public defender appeared on the screen, and explained that she was temporary conncil, I will be appointed permenant public defender wnen I get back to Orange County where my case is.
I asked, why the trip to LA if my case is in Orange County?
She said tge DEA only has offices and holding cells in LA along with the FBI, ATF, and U.S.Marshalls.
She said this case is a big deal, and asked if I understood what was going on.
I said, not really, I mean I met those two DEA officers when they served a warrant to search me and seize my phone about a year and 3 months ago, or so.
She said, oh really, you knew about the investigation, I said I found out about it wnen they showed up at my rehab and took my phone, but never heard anything for over a year.
She said thats good (I didnt know why at the time)
She asked if I had any questions, and I said yeah i have been here over 24 hours now and I have not been given even a phone call, and I am prescribed medications that I need or will go into severe withdrawals, etc… (i never got my meds tge whole 5 days I was in there, so I was miserable, but Suboxone withdrawals dont get really bad til about 7-10 days, so I was just miserable, not in complete agony)
She said, would you like me to call anybody for you , and I said yeah, my parents (one of the only numbers I know without having my phone) and my mom answered and I said Mom, and she said, thank god, where the hell are you"
I said"remember last Janurary when I told you I might be in some triuble with the DEA and they took my phone (that I never got back)
She says yeah…
I said well, guess what, I am in trouble, I am in prison in LA county, and I need to get the hell out of here, so of the judge grants me bail, can you please get me out of here.
My mom was hesitant, and said it depends how much, they cant put up s huge deposit.
The Public defender said, you knew you might be in trouble last Janurary, I said yeah, and she said, thats good again, I still couldnt figure out why tgat was good at the time.
Fortunately Federal bonds dont take cash deposits, you just have to sigh for it, and yes, If I fled or fail to make my court appearances, they would have to pay the bond in full.
The lawyer had a private conversation with my parents for a few minutes and then the judge came on.
She was really mean, almost like Judge Judy, but a for real judge, this was no tv show.
She said the charges, and asked if I had been explained them and understood them.
I replied I understand enough to plead not guilty.
So she said, ok you will have a jury trial on June 2nd (right to speedy trial and all. You want that if you are locked up. You dont if you are out on bond.)
The judge said, I am not sure I will grant you a bond due to you being a flight risk, because of the serious 20 year manditory minimum sentance you are facing.
Thats where the lawyer showed ne why she said good before.
She said, the defendant knew about the investigation for about 14-15 months and has not tried to hide or leave and he has medical issues, so he is not a flight risk, and I have talked to his parents and they are willing to sign a $50,000 bond for his release.
The judge said, your parents must bot have much confidence in you.
The Lawyer said no, his mom is almost 80 and his dad is almost 90, they are retired and live in a set income.
So she said, ok, I set your bond at $65,000, and you better make all your court dates or you will put your parents in a very serious position.
I said, I understand.
She said ok, you can bond out to a residental alcohol and drug rehab, and you cant do any drugs, you cant drink, and you cant even smoke legal marijuna or any hemp products of any kind.
I said, thats fine your honor, I am sober for about a year and a half, I dont drink or do drugs, only prescribed Suboxone.
She said, and no weed
I said, your honor, I hate weed, I wouldnt smoke it if you told me I had to.
She smerked and said fine, but no drugs or alcohol and no weed.
I get it your honor.
And that was that.
I was marched back the way we came, once inside the pod I was un shackled, and returned to my cell, where I remained gor 5 days.
It was Tuesday morning I was at court. I was able to call my dad on Wed, and he said they signed the bond, and are foing everything they can to get me out.
It turned 5pm on Friday, and I thought FUCK, I am gonna be here all weekend.
About 15 min later
“Wood, Roll it up”
I was like WTF, oh, thank god.
It took about an hour to get processed out and finally get a phone call, I called my mom and said I am out, How am I getting home. She said, Johnny is there waiting for you to get out.
I said Perfect.
I got my phone and clothes back, was marched out the front doors, called Johnny, he pulled up a min later.
I got in his truck and he was like, WTF was that all about.
I said I will tell you in a minute, you hot a subixone on you.
He said, of course, I got your back.
He gave me a strip and I put it under my tongue, and just like that in less then 5 min, good as new. No more withdrawals.
Anyway, while I was in there gor 5 days…
My cellie was real interested in what my charge was, as were the orderlys and other prisinors I could see from my cell which was abiut 3 or 4.
Apparently once you get put in General Population, they want to know your charges, especially your own race wants to know your charge, so my cellie, another Wood (white guy my last name just happens to be wood, so I will never be mistaken for anything else, and that is not a pride thing, its just the way it is in proson).
Mostly they dont care what you did unless you do bad things to old people or children, and now they are going after guys in for domestic violence, which is fine with me, but it makes no sense a rapist is ok, but a guy that beats his wife is not.
IMHO, neither is ok, but idk why one is ok in prison and the other is not.
Anyway, if you have charges like that, and you are in general population, you will be dealt with, and yes i mean killed, ar attempted to be killed.
And it will come from a lifer of your own race. Its how each race shows the other races that they know how to clean up their own messes.
Sorry, that is politics, but it is prison pilitics, and its not very democratic, they dont have voting booths to control the general population.
Now, when I was in LA prison, for a total of 5 days, I was in with guys from level 4 and level 5 prisons, and guys looking at life sentances.
Thats cuz my origonal charge was practically a life sentance.
I was shown those politics really quickly.
The guard threw me in a cell with a mexican guy. He was cool, and friendly, but within minutes, the Mexican shot caller was at our cell yelling at him in spanish about not letting a wood in a cell with him, and they better fix the problem immediatly.
He told me what they said, I said how do we fix it, and he said, there is a Wood next store alone, I said, Ok, easy peasy.
I adked the orderly to get a guard, and I talked to the mexican shot caller and said, no disrespect intended, it was a long day and I didnt really know what was going on, but I am gonna talk to the guard as soon as the orderly gets here.
He said, ok, and its not as much my problem, but his guy should gave yelled at the guard and put up a fight to not let me in with him
So he didnt have so much of a problem with me, its him keeping his race in line.
I am not racist at sll, and it somewhat sickens me the way prisons are, but thats how they are and nobody in there cares if you dont like it, and nobody cares if you die either.
Fortunately, With my lawyer and my plea agreement, I will not be in a prison higher then level 2, and will be with all non violent offenders, so I wont have to deal with it so often, only if / when I am transported, or required back in LA county court WHILE i am in custody, will I ever have issues like that. I could be sentanced anywhere in the US too, but hopefully my Lawyer gets me to Terminal Island in Long Beach. Close to home so friends and family dont have a long drive to visit
The guard came within Minutes and said whats up, and I yelled thru the glass in the door, You got to house me with another Wood, isnt there one next door with a spare bed.
The guard said, yeah, ok, roll up your shit (i didnt have more then a couple bag of lunches I didnt eat, and sheets and blanket (no pillow) and he moved me next door.
My cellie was cool, but he pretty much hit me up immediatly, whats your charge?
I said, Idk its worded kind of weird, but something about knowingly selling Fentynal tesullting in great bodily harm, and / or Death.
He said, let me see your papers.
I showed him, he read it, and instantly became friendly.
Fentynal huh I am not much of a heroin guy, I am more into meth and coke, i never done fentynal.
He saw I was in pain, and was withdrawing, and said"you are not gonna be able to make it up to the top bunk are you.
I told him my knees were shot, I needed them both replaced (which I now have) but I said I will try my best if I have to.
He said, no, I got your back, and moved his shit to the top bunk.
I started to make the bottom bunk with the sandpaper sheets they gave me, and he said, you never been locked up before huh?
I said no, so he said, ok, I am gonna show you this once, and I will show you things once, but thats it, I aint gonna carry your weight.
I said, thats fine, and thanks.
So he showed me how to tear the strips off the ends of the sheet, and use them to tie your sheet under the mattress so it diesnt come off.
Then he ripped strips off of his blanket and mine, and strung one across the bar of the top bunk and one across the ceiling.
It was to hang a blanket over either of our beds in case one of us wanted to take a crap, it would give us a little more privacy.
He was cool, he had spent at least 20 years locked up and was in his mid 40’s.
Not a guy I would want to fuck with, but a great guy to have your back.
I really hope my lower level yards are not so crazy, and not 47 hours and 20 min in a cell, out of every 48 hours.
In LA, we got out of the cell every other day fir 20 min, 2 times in one day.
Once to shower, once to make phone calls.
I could not do 5 years like that, and I am assured that my detention center wont be anything like that, and I could end up at a work camp, where you can leave for the day if you have a job or school and come back each night by a certain cerfew.
So I think I have seen the worst Of it already, and it should not be that bad for me when I serve time.
I will also say, that while on bond, I have been treated especially well, and I have been given the best lawyer I could have got in this situation. I only would get better if I paid, but it would be $35,000 to $50,000 for a lawyer who could do better, and the only thing that may have been better at this point is I may have been given a slightly better plea deal, but I dont have that money on hand, and have been on disability fora long time, so I got the best I could without having to pay out of pocket.
And if I had tried to pay for a cheaper lawyer, I certainly could have gotten worse, and actually paid for a lesser lawyer with worse results, so I am satisfied, and as far as that part goes, I have been done right by the Federal Government.
All things aside, Yes, I find this case a bit rediculous, and very extreme, even for the US Federal system, but they are making an example of me and a few others that were all arrested on or around when I was, for the same things, done on or around around the same time (2018) and we were all in the same newspaper article showing how the US will not tolerrate these typs of drugs coming from across the border. Yeah, locking me up stops that problem (thats the rediculous part, and if you disagree, its ok), but whatever
Yes, its a bit lopsided justice if you ask me, but I also see the other side.
A person OD’d and died. Even if I sold him drugs is it my fault he took them and died? Maybe?
My daughter bought drugs, and OD’d multiple times. Do I think its the person that sold the drugs responsibility. I do not, I put full tesponsibility on my daughter, BUT she is alive, and I am lucky as hell to have her alive.
If she died, would that change my mind? Would I want somebody in jail because of it?
Honestly I dont know, and I am glad I dont have to find out.
Will me serving time bring peace to the family of somebody that died, who bought drugs from my supplier and OD’d idk, but me serving time its gonna happen, so if nothing else, I hope it brings peace or closure or whatever the family is looking for.
Again, not a political debate, or discussion, just a fact.
If the DEA never got involved, and this was only a state charge, I would get time served for the year I have already been on Pre Trial probation, and then just get it kicked out of court.
But
Since the DEA spent over a year watching me do nothing, racking up man hours like crazy, probably soending over a few hundred grand of man hours, to find nothing on me they had to do something or they get egg in their face.
we were talking about if people got into discussing/debating/screaming about the state of our prison/justice system, the politics behind it, etc. you’re absolutely fine XD