Federal Indictment Process: How to Tell Your Story
The federal indictment process does not wait for you to get ready. From the day you learn you are a target, the […]
What Is a Minimum Security Prison? A Former Federal Prisoner Explains What Actually Happens There
Eighteen years ago tomorrow I learned a minimum security prison is the lowest custody level in the federal Bureau of Prisons system. […]
What Happens at a Federal Sentencing Hearing: A Step-by-Step Guide
A federal sentencing hearing is the proceeding where a judge decides how long you will spend in federal prison (if at all), […]
Why I Went To Federal Prison: 18 Years Later
Three people this week told me they want to become motivational speakers. They asked me to help them get booked at places […]
What Do Prison Consultants Do? And Why You Probably Don’t Need One
A journalist called me recently. He is writing a piece about sentencing mitigation and wanted to understand what I do. He found […]
Federal Prison Mindset: The Promise That Works
I was texting with my mom this morning, confirming a visit to Los Angeles, when she reminded me: next week marks 18 […]
I Don’t Want You to Have Hope. I Want You to Have a Plan.
Someone in our community got a year and a day sentence. He’s home in 83 days. His case manager loved his Straight-A […]
PPP Loan Fraud Sentencing: What Actually Happens and How to Prepare
Several months ago a man called me who had already done a lot of things right. He broke the law, pled guilty, […]
What Your Federal Sentencing Memorandum Cannot Do — And What Only You Can
Federal sentencing guidelines give you a starting point, not a final answer. The loss amount, offense level, and criminal history points frame […]
What Not to Say Your First Day in Federal Prison
When Judge Wilson sentenced me to 18 months, my first thought was that 18 months was a lifetime. I remember standing there […]
Federal Plea vs. Trial: What Defendants Get Wrong
Before You Plead Guilty, Read This: My Conversation with Defense Lawyer Stephen Lee If you are facing federal charges and deciding between […]