Cooperation Alone Won’t Keep You Out of Prison

Three years ago, this defendant signed his plea agreement and agreed to cooperate. He didn’t fight the charges. He gave up documents. He gave names. He showed up when asked.

Then he went silent.

No payments. No work history. No letters. No written explanation of what happened or what he’s learned. He figured cooperation would be enough.

He joined our webinar, where Paul Bertrand—the retired FBI agent who arrested me—spoke to the group. Paul said that in all his years at the Bureau, only one person he investigated avoided prison because they cooperated. Just one.

That defendant called me the next morning, rattled. “I thought I was safe,” he said. “I thought cooperation was the way out.”

His lawyer had never promised he’d avoid prison. The lawyer said it might help. He just heard what he wanted to hear.

Cooperation Helps the Government—Not You

When you cooperate, you’re helping prosecutors close a case. You’re helping agents tighten their timeline. You’re saving the government time and money. That’s why they value it.

But that doesn’t mean the judge will.

The judge isn’t asking if you helped the government. The judge is asking: Have you changed? Do you understand the damage you caused? Are you someone I can trust to stay out of trouble?

If all you’ve done is cooperate, the answer is no.

It’s not personal. It’s what the paperwork says. A press release lays out what you did wrong. The plea agreement confirms it. If there’s nothing in your file except cooperation, there’s nothing that shows growth. No effort to make things right. No reason to believe this won’t happen again.

A Weak Record Hurts You at Sentencing

Let’s be blunt.

This defendant hasn’t worked in three years. He hasn’t paid back victims. He hasn’t submitted a statement accepting responsibility. He hasn’t documented any progress. There’s no plan for rebuilding his life, just a long gap of silence.

Judges don’t reward silence. Probation officers won’t write glowing reports based on good intentions. And prosecutors don’t advocate for someone who just waited around.

When your sentencing packet is thin, you look lazy. Or worse—entitled.

It’s not enough to say “I cooperated.” The question is: what else have you done?

Probation Officers Fill in the Blanks—And It Might Cost You

When a probation officer writes your pre-sentence report, they use what you give them. If you’ve done nothing, that shows up.

No job? They’ll write it.
No restitution? That goes in.
No letters? No community involvement? No plan? They’ll include that too.

The judge reads this report before deciding how long you’ll spend in prison. If it paints you as someone who took the easy way out and stayed quiet, expect a longer sentence.

They’re not guessing who you are—they’re reading what you’ve shown them.

Stop Waiting. Start Working.

This defendant regrets wasting time. He thought being helpful to the government was enough. It wasn’t. Now he’s rushing to fix it before sentencing.

You don’t want to be in that position.

Start with basic steps:

• Write a clear, honest narrative about what led to your conduct.
  
• Create a restitution plan, even if you can’t pay much.
  
• Get a job—even part-time work matters.
  
• Ask for character letters from people who’ve seen your effort.
  
• Volunteer in your community. Keep a log.
  
• Document everything. Put it in writing. Save records.
  

Show the court that you’re not the same person they read about in the indictment. Show them who you are now.

If You Think Cooperation Is Enough, You’re Not Ready

I asked the defendant: What will your judge know about you beyond the plea?

He didn’t have an answer.

If you’ve only cooperated, your file won’t say anything the judge hasn’t already heard from the government. That’s not a strategy. That’s coasting.

Cooperation can reduce a sentence. But it’s not a reason to skip prison. That’s why Paul Bertrand saw only one person avoid it.

Don’t assume you’ll be the second.

What Does Your Record Say About You Right Now?

The judge won’t sentence you based on how scared you are. They’ll sentence you based on what you’ve done.

Right now, you’re building that record. Every week you wait, someone else is building a stronger case for leniency—while you fall behind.

Start today.

Join Our Weekly Webinar

If you don’t know where to begin, join us every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern. We’ll break down what judges, probation officers, and the BOP actually look for—and how to build it step by step. And if you’d rather talk it through privately, book a call with us.

Skip the theory. Give the judge a reason to believe in you.

Justin Paperny