State Profiles

A mother of three, Sheila is serving mandatory life in prison without parole under Oklahoma's three strikes law.

Unfortunately, the drug dealing lifestyle swept up David at a very early age.  He was only 14 when he first started to sell marijuana to support his habit. 

Bonnie is serving a 15-year mandatory minimum drug sentence in Massachusetts.

After serving 21 years in prison, Phil was freed by a court order and rejoined his family just in time for Christmas. Several months later, however, he was back behind bars after the government reinstated his original 110-year sentence.

Erik is serving 25 years under Maryland's mandatory sentencing laws.

Despite her sentencing judge's strong objections, Michelle is serving a mandatory minimum of seven years in Massachusetts.

James was an educated and hard-working family man whose drug addiction eventually culminated in a life sentence in Louisiana state prison.

Sentenced under Florida's draconian mandatory minimums for pain medications, Scott is serving 25 years.

Guadalupe is serving more than 18 years in North Carolina. 

Susan received two consecutive 5-30 year sentences under Michigan's mandatory drug laws.

Tony is serving 33-110 years in Michigan for a first-time cocaine offense. He has been incarcerated for over a decade. 

Tracy is still serving a 20 to 40-year sentence under mandatory minimum sentencing laws that were reformed in 2003.

Maria is serving 20 to 40 years in state prison for an acquaintance's cocaine. 

Erik was sentenced to a 20-year mandatory minimum under Florida's "10-20-life" law for discharging a firearm in an attempt to protect himself from an angry group of men.

Robert is serving a 15-year mandatory minimum drug sentence in Massachusetts.

James is serving 15 to 30 years for drug offenses committed to support a severe addiction to crack cocaine.

Ricardo is serving life under Michigan's mandatory sentencing laws.

Atiba is serving 42 years in a Mississippi prison for less than three grams of crack cocaine.