Table of Contents
Keep building. Inside, case managers and program staff decide how much of your sentence you serve, and they read your record. Ray expected 18 months and got 60. He got into RDAP at Leavenworth in about ten days.
Two blocks from the courthouse
Ray expected 18 months. The judge gave him 60.
He'd spent the 18 months before sentencing preparing. He rewrote his narrative nine times, started paying restitution before his plea, and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, keeping a record of every date.
Two blocks from the courthouse, he finally spoke.
"I did every single thing you asked me to do. And I got sixty months. I could have spent those eighteen months on my couch and gotten the same sentence."
"You don't know that."
"Neither do you."
He was right. Nobody can promise a judge's number. If I could predict sentences, I'd be in a different line of work.
One thing I did know. Ray waited to tell the Habitat director about his case. When sentencing got close and he asked for a letter on Habitat letterhead, she said no. Ask at the start.
Here's Ray now. He surrendered to the Leavenworth camp and got into RDAP within about ten days. With RDAP, First Step Act credits, and how he's adjusted, he's expected to get 12 months in the halfway house. He's lost 40 pounds. He plays more pickleball than I'd like.
The work he started at home kept going inside.
If you're wondering whether any of this is worth it without a guarantee, that's a fair question. Let's talk it through.
Schedule a free call with our team.
Questions people ask
Can RDAP shorten a long federal sentence?
Eligible people who complete RDAP can get up to a year off under federal law and Bureau of Prisons rules. Eligibility depends on your history and your offense.
Should I keep volunteering after sentencing?
Yes, and ask for letters early. Ray waited to ask his Habitat director, and she said no.
Read next: Part 5: Do You Need a Release Plan Before Going to Federal Prison?
Written by
Justin Paperny
Founder White Collar Advice
