Jared was an Eagle Scout, honor student, pianist, community volunteer and regularly attended church. After high school graduation he made the big mistake of drinking with friends and one night attempted to have sex with an underage girl who was with them.
It came to the girl’s parents’ attention several months later. He could have easily denied it, there being no evidence, but he did the right thing and confessed to authorities immediately. Having no previous legal entanglements, Jared’s family didn’t think to engage an attorney first. Thus, because of his confession he had no defense under the law and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, the mandatory minimum.
He remained a model prisoner, took college courses, created a service project where inmates made quilts to donate to a charity, and provided the music for many church ministries that came into the prison weekly.
Jared filed for clemency after serving half of his sentence, and in a very unusual move both the District Attorney and the sentencing judge wrote letters to the governor supporting clemency. The parole board denied his request however. Fewer than 6% of clemency applications make it to the governor’s desk per state data.
Within weeks of his release from prison Jared and his family contacted a well known victim support group in Nashville. He became face and voice for them in a DVD message they produced which continues to be used in their educational programs. Jared’s desire was, and is, to warn other young men, to prevent them from making the same mistake he made.
Once released Jared completed his bachelor’s degree at UT, was hired upon graduation. His employer is aware of his background and was impressed enough with him to overlook it. He’s worked for them for 11+ years.
Jared married and has a child, but later divorced. The family court required multiple psychological examinations of both parents to determine custody of the child and decided on 50-50. He was determined to be equally safe and able to parent his daughter.
Jared has now remarried a lovely woman with four small children whose birth father has died. However, he cannot live with his new family because of the unconstitutional restrictions placed upon him. He can’t ever be alone with his step children and at night, by law, he must to go to his own home to sleep.
