In her own words, Tracii shares her story of how taking action, leading others, and doing the work can lead to real, measurable outcomes: like only serving 17 months of a 51 month federal prison sentence (without the Residential Drug Abuse Program).
Her journey proves there are no shortcuts in navigating the federal prison system—there is no “get out of jail free” card. Success is earned through consistent effort, and Tracii’s review highlights exactly how that is done.
“Many justice-impacted people find ourselves lost in a bureaucracy we don’t understand, and don’t even know where to start,” Tracii begins.
She spent over two years on pre-trial probation before being sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, a term that exceeded the guidelines due to a victim impact statement. Faced with this new reality, Tracii decided not to be passive. “I reached out to Justin Paperny for advice,” she continues. That decision set the stage for an incredibly productive federal prison term.
A Strategic Release Plan In Federal Prison
Working with us, Tracii connected with others who had faced similar circumstances. She spoke with others in our community who had mastered their time in federal prison, gaining insight into what was ahead. But most importantly, she took action. “White Collar Advice helped me put together a release plan that I was able to use as an accountability guide throughout my journey,” she explains.
This wasn’t just a plan on paper. It became a tool that Tracii shared with her family, posted on her blog, and presented to her case manager. Instead of waiting for things to happen, she led by example, actively engaging in her release strategy.
Leading by Example: Building a Culture of Progress
Upon entering Tuscon Federal Prison Camp, Tracii continued building her plan, then she shared it with others, even taking on a leadership role. “I began teaching classes, and together a large group of us were writing, updating, following our release plans, reading, writing book reports, blogs, journaling, and documenting our journey,” she wrote.
Through her documented progress, Tracii influenced her case manager and, eventually, her judge. This was not about checking boxes or expecting a hand out; it was about showing measured progress, something we discussed in a recent webinar.
Results Earned Through Hard Work, Not Shortcuts, Or Happy Talk
Even without participating in RDAP program she earned a significant sentence reduction. “The judge specifically recognized the work I had done and documented,” she shares. Her hard work led to an 11-month reduction, and she earned one year of home confinement along with continuous First Step Act credits.
Tracii’s story proves that there is no quick fix or easy way out. What works is leading others, and consistently documenting progress for cynical stakeholders.
Thank you,
Justin Paperny
P.S. Click here to read Tracii’s full Trust Pilot review.
