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Jesse now working at his farm VIRGINIA, USA THIS MAN was sentenced to 32 years for a robbery and shooting while high on cocaine but after receiving a pardon he turned his life around to help other ex-cons reform their lives. Executive director of Second Chancer Foundation Jesse Crosson (39) from Charlottesville Virginia was high on cocaine when he committed a robbery and a few days later was involved in a shooting that changed the course of his life forever. Jesse was a shy kid, he didn't really find his path until high school, and he fell in with the wrong crowd of kids who all smoked marijuana and drank alcohol, which he joined in with. Soon he was consuming cocaine also. “I was strung out on cocaine. I had run out of money and run out of favours,” said Jesse. “I owed dealers and I was trying to figure out how to get more. My three co-defendants and I decided to steal to get money for more “We decided to break into an empty house that one guy said had lots of money that had been stolen from undocumented workers. “We went there, and the family was home, so we left. We came back when the cars were gone, and we broke in. We didn't know that a maid was still inside. Our breaking and entering became a robbery. “Additionally, a few days later, one of my friends got a panicked call from his pregnant girlfriend. Two men were at their place, threatening her if he didn't bring a gun they had sold him, that they had stolen or money or cocaine. “I intervened and we got into a shouting match on the phone. We agreed to meet. When I got there, I realised just how terrible an idea it was. I was afraid. So, I left. They chased me in their car. “They pulled up beside me. When the passenger reached over his shoulder to grab something I grabbed my gun, the one they had stolen, and opened fire. “I hit the passenger once in the hand and the driver five times, I'm not sure about placement. “I thought he was reaching for a gun. There was one in the car, but I don't know if that's what he was reaching for. Thankfully they both lived. “I was terrified, angry, strung out and without sleep. I was living in a constant state of survival mode and just going through the compulsive motions. I felt numb and empty.” “The next day I had run out of cocaine and fell asleep. I woke to my co-defendent yelling that "La policia en negro estan afuera" translated means “the police in black are outside” so I knew the swat team was outside. “I ran out in a panic and ran directly into the barrel of an assault rifle with an officer telling me, "I will shoot you dead boy." Jesse committed these crimes just a few days after his 18th birthday and was handed a colossal sentence nine months later. “The day of sentencing my guidelines called for from 8-13 years. They were modified to 10-16 years. The judge sentenced me to serve 138 years with 106 suspended, an active sentence of 32 years,” he explained. “I felt shocked, and like my greatest fear was validated, that I was worthless and beyond redemption. “Looking back, I feel curious because I don't understand the judge’s motivation or whether he had a clear one. “I also think it's ironic that I probably wouldn't be where I am today were it not for that massive sentence and all the work I did to end up receiving a conditional pardon. “I was in the local jail for 10 months, Powhatan Receiving for 3 months, Nottaway for 4 years, Buckingham for 13 years and finished up my sentence in Coffeewood serving 10 months. “Prison was like middle school with more knives. It was the same cliques, the same infighting, the same fight for space, think lunchrooms that look surprisingly similar. “It was depressing and hopeless at times. I lost my father while I was inside and felt an extra layer of guilt and shame that I couldn't be with him at the end and wasn't allowed to go to his funeral. “I also received incredible support and humanity from guys in there when they heard about my loss. I had just been moved to a new pod and guys gave me coffee and food, they looked out for me, gave me a clap on the shoulder. It was profoundly humane. “I had no idea what to expect. I had heard stories about how it was going to be so much better and how it was also going to be violent and scary and terrible. It didn't make sense. Instead, it was people just living their lives. “There was wonderful, there was terrible, most was just boring or unstructured. “Prison gave me time and a blank canvas. I had lost everything. I had been hurting and did not know how to cope. I had lashed out and focused on survival rather than growth and choosing my path. “So, prison gave me a chance to change that. Rather, prison gave me the time to change that. It was only through hard work and the good fortune of having resources that allowed me to change into who I am today.