Five Years of Hell

Hello, my name is Michael and in July of 2015 I was sentenced in Pennsylvania on one charge of invasion of privacy.
In August of 2013 I was accused of using an old cell phone to “sneak a peek” at a girls behind in my bathroom at my home. I was sentenced in 2015. My cousins were there that night and not even involved, but pressed charges on me. My one cousin had just become a deputy sheriff in the County Court house and her Boyfriend had just become a part time police officer. They used scare tactics to get me to confess to this crime and even frisked me days later illegally. They told me if I didn’t tell them what they wanted to hear and if I didn’t give them my cell phone, they would go to the police. I was later brought to the court in which my cousin (whom of which pressed the charges) works and was sentenced even though this should have been a conflict of interest. There were no minors involved and anyone who could have been considered a victim had recused themselves from the proceedings and did not want anything to do with it. There also was no evidence of any illegal activity on any of my devices that had been taken from me and my home. The only reason I got in any trouble was because I confessed to the police and to my cousins out of fear of getting in more severe trouble if I denied. I was too scared not to give in to my cousins and the county detectives based on their power and connections. We should have applied habeas corpus, but my lawyer didn’t seem to want to fight for me. We even had all of the official testing done by an expert in this field and he appeared in court stating that I do not meet the criteria for an SVP. The woman from SOAB never met with me and stated that I did in fact meet the criteria so they made me an SVP. This is unheard of for this type of crime. As they read the impact statements full of lies, bias, and opinions, I knew that this all seemed very wrong and unjust. I have never broken the law before and worked for the township for 12 years. I was promoted at the time to the code enforcement official as well. I went to college and had a respectable life at the time. A PA state investigator is currently investigating the woman from SOAB on my behalf due to her unethical behavior in making me an SVP without meeting with me, it isn’t looking hopeful.
After I was charged in 2013, I lost my home, job, car, pension, and promotion, insurance, and eventually became homeless sleeping in a field and can never be eligible to have a decent job again. I was given a life sentence for an M3 with no priors. I only confessed because it felt like the right thing to do for my family and the fact that I was too scared not to. I regret it and I was punished much worse than I would have ever imagined. I was also given 7 years of probation as well. On New Years day 2017 I woke up puking up an entire bottle of sleeping pills and the night before I felt freedom for the first time in years just before swallowing that bottle. It is a seductive notion to entertain when thinking about how in one swift action; all of the pain, punishment and torture that I endure on a daily basis can all end at once. I have never been suicidal before being thrust into hell unlike anything I could have ever fathomed. Are we the mistakes that we make or are we the actions that we take part in after the fact? I don’t believe our actions or our sins make us who we are, but what we do after. It is hard to have blind faith in the institutions that run our world when it seems as though the only exist to break our spirit and take pleasure in watching us bleed. To never have a second chance over a low level crime and to be punished to this extent forever is simply nonsensical. What is the point of a punishment when there is no chance to learn a lesson from it? What is the point of a registry that has done nothing to protect anyone? How can this be the rest of my life and the life of so many others for low level crimes which weren’t even physical in nature?
Megan’s Law has gone too far and is creating an entirely new decay of society. It is counter-productive and does not accomplish anything it has set out to. It is only permanently ruining lives in every aspect, but who will fight for those of whom no one wants to fight for? When does the madness end and when can there be a second chance to be better versions of ourselves and to learn from our mistakes?

8 thoughts on “Five Years of Hell

  1. I am from Pa and my grandson had trouble with a women from the SOAB. She was a older lady that had gone to Bucknell. I thought retired. She had wrong information when she talked to my grandson. He is also now labeled as a SVP. She told me that everyone on Megans Law is now considered SVP. I wrote the SOAB about what had occurred never to get a reply. Judges should not be able to say to my grandson stay away from your brothers and cougars too.

    1. I’m so sorry to hear about your grandson. My story above is not something that happens to everyone. Some people are able to navigate through with much less resistance. I unfortunately was in a situation where the person pressing charges on me worked in the court where I was convicted so I was given the maximum of everything they could give me in spite of this massive conflict of interest. Your grandson should really try and appeal the SVP designation. I have seen them overturned before. I will not be able to escape this hell but he may be able to do he has to try.

  2. Hey Michael,

    You said it: It’s what we do after that really shows our character. People make mistakes all the time for all kinds of reasons. Don’t check out man- we need you to help fight this injustice!

    One thing i’ve learned is if one ever gets arrested or accused of a crime – do NOT say a word until you have an attorney.

  3. My husband also confessed to something that didn’t happen because the police said the girl was claiming that he raped her. They said to just go on tape that they had consensual sex and he would be free to go. He did what the police said to do as they “coached him” turning the tape on and off as they told him what to say. When they were through they arrested my husband for statutory rape. At they time he had no idea what that meant. Spent 2 years in jail, lost his two young children, suffers from PTSD, struggles with alcohol addiction. It’s been 20 years and life has gone on. He has had two failed businesses and trouble finding a decent job. He is working now but it is very physical and hard on his body. We have been married for 16 years and have two wonderful boys. Life can go on and be okay but it is not always easy. I have to say we are doing great but it has taken a lot of ups and downs to get here.
    May God bless you. He has been in our life for the past few years and I believe that he has been our savior. Life on this earth is not the end.

  4. Michael, I am really sorry for what you have gone through. No one in a country like ours should go through that kind of treatment. I hope for a better world for all of us. Peace be with you

  5. Im very sorry to hear about your serious troubles ,I took a plea deal in Canada and served 8 months for what is called sexual interference ,but it was a evil woman that was behind all this ,anyway my one and only problem was I talked to the cops and tried to convince them of the fact that I did nothing ,thinking wrongly that they are reasonable people WRONG!!!!! . NEVER TALK TO THE COPS ,NEVER

    1. Gene, I agree with you- no one should ever talk to the cops before securing an attorney. But I also know that cops know how to use fear and intimidation to get what they want. My son did the same thing and spent 7 years in prison and now they are not letting him out. They are considering him an SVP and he’s been sent to a state hospital through civil commitment. Just because he talked..

    2. Gene im sorry this happened to You and everyone who has been unjustly served what appears a life time sentence of Judicial mold and decay. My one and only mistake was talking to law enforcement. It only further continued to seal my coffin. I wont be around to see a rest of my life. I have lived long enough to see the corruption and Carcasses it reveals. Departure only seems right in a world that sets double standards with laws for the rich and laws for the tortured poor class. Again, im sorry. Peace

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