This blog continues our insights from the New York Times article about Hugo Mejia. You can read the full article [here]. It follows earlier blogs that walk through sentencing, pre-sentence interviews, and what happens once you’re in custody. This one tackles a recurring theme: consistency over time.
One of the fastest ways to lose credibility is to tell a different version of your story every time someone asks.
That’s what Hugo Mejia was doing early in his case. With his lawyer, one version. With his family, another. With probation, somewhere in between.
And that confusion showed up in his pre-sentence report.
When defendants say, “I never meant to hurt anyone,” and then five pages later say, “I take full responsibility,” judges notice. They’re not looking for perfect wording—they’re looking for alignment. They want to see that your words, actions, and documented history all line up.
Most defendants don’t realize how many people read their file: the judge, the prosecutor, probation, BOP staff. If each of those people sees a slightly different version of who you are, it becomes hard to trust any of them.
In Hugo’s case, things changed when he stopped trying to explain and started staying consistent. What he said in the interview matched what was in his allocution. His apology didn’t shift depending on who he was talking to. He made it easier for people to believe him—because he made it easier to verify what he was saying.
If what you say in court doesn’t match what’s in your pre-sentence report, the judge will trust the report. Not your last-minute speech.
If your remorse is clear in character letters but vague in your own interview, it creates doubt.
You don’t need a perfect story. You need a consistent one. Something people can follow without second-guessing.
That doesn’t come from a script. It comes from doing the work early, getting clear on the facts, and then sticking to them.
Every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern, I walk through how to build that consistency—so you’re not contradicting yourself without realizing it. It’s one of the first things judges pick up on. And one of the last things you want working against you.
Justin Paperny
