Table of Contents
How much of a federal prison sentence do you serve?
Dr. Brett walked into what he thought was a routine meeting with colleagues. Two federal agents were waiting for him instead. They showed their badges and said they wanted to talk.
Years earlier, he had sold his practice and moved into consulting, helping medical practices merge with doctors who offered chiropractic services. He had no idea anyone was investigating him.
What his lawyer brought back
The agents told him prosecutors considered him a potential target. He hired a lawyer. She met with the prosecutors, came back, and explained what she had heard. After that conversation, Brett prepared for prison.
Maybe you are at that point now. Your lawyer has come back from the prosecutor's office, and nobody around you is saying "if" anymore.
No pitch
Brett searched for help, found White Collar Advice, and called me. I served 18 months at Taft Federal Prison Camp beginning in 2008. He told me he could relate to me because I had been through it.b We talked through what was in front of him and started preparing for the best outcome his facts allowed. He pleaded guilty to mail fraud. The judge sentenced him to about three years.
Maxwell
Brett surrendered to the Federal Prison Camp at Maxwell. Even though he was prepared, he found the first weeks surreal. Then the routine took hold. He landed a good job inside. He quit fighting what he could not change, and the men around him got a more patient, humbler version of him than the one who walked in. He was released after about 14 months.
Home
Since his release, Brett has started new businesses and has been reaching back to people the case pushed away. He says he would not wish a federal case on anyone, and that the preparation put him in a far better position going in and coming out.
I wrote After the Fall about coming home from Taft and starting over with a felony on my record. Read it now, while the other side of your sentence is still something you can plan.
Thank you,
Justin Paperny
Questions about this case
What is a federal prison camp like? Camps are the Bureau of Prisons' lowest security level: usually no perimeter fence, dormitory housing, and days built around a work assignment and programs. Brett called his first weeks at Maxwell surreal. Then he got a job and settled into the schedule.
How much of a federal sentence do people serve? Often less than the number the judge announces. Good conduct time can take off up to 54 days for each year imposed. Depending on eligibility, First Step Act credits, RDAP, and time in a halfway house or home confinement can shorten the time inside further. Brett was sentenced to about three years and released after about 14 months.
What should you do when federal agents say you are a target? Take their contact information, hold your answers, and call a federal defense lawyer that day. Brett hired counsel, who then met with the prosecutors.
Written by
Justin Paperny
Founder White Collar Advice