DeJarion Echols

Sentence: 20 years
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of crack cocaine; possessing a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime 
Priors: Theft ('99)
Year sentenced: 2006
Age at sentencing: 23
Projected Release Date: Feb. 13 2023

DeJarion was born and raised in Waco, Texas.  He grew up in a loving and supportive environment and as he states, “never envisioned my future involving prison”.  He has no history of substance abuse, although he does admit to occasionally smoking marijuana as a teenager, and a theft charge he received as a juvenile.  After graduating from high school, Dejarion decided to pursue a career where he could work with and help troubled youth in his community. His first job was at a state juvenile corrections agency. He then went on to work as an aide at a psychiatric residential treatment facility for teenagers. After working at the treatment facility for two years, DeJarion decided he wanted to further his education.

A star athlete in high school, DeJarion tried out for the football team at Texas College with the hope of earning an athletic scholarship.  He quit his job to go back to school full time when he made the team only to find out that the school did not offer full athletic scholarships, only partial.  When DeJarion learned that he was ineligible to receive any additional financial aid because he had made too much money while employed, he decided to return to Waco and work until he earned enough money to pay for school.  Unable to find a job back in Waco, DeJarion made the choice to sell crack cocaine to earn money to attend school.
 
When DeJarion’s name surfaced as a suspected drug dealer in October 2004, Waco police obtained a search warrant for his home.  Inside officers discovered 44 grams of crack cocaine, an unloaded rifle under DeJarion’s bed and $5,700.  Although only 44 grams of crack were found in his home, DeJarion was held accountable for approximately 500 grams because the money was estimated to have come from an additional 450 grams of crack.  DeJarion admitted that the drugs were his and that he had sold crack in the past, but denied that the unloaded gun had been used in relation to his drug activity.
 
Dejarion pled guilty to both charges and received two mandatory ten-year sentences for the drugs and the unloaded rifle. At sentencing, Judge Walter S. Smith balked at the mandatory sentence he was forced to impose on Dejarion: “This is one of those situations where I’d like to see a Congressman sitting before me.”
 
Dejarion sold crack for less than six months and saw everything he had worked for disintegrate. He left behind his wife and two young daughters, ages seven and eight months at the time of his sentencing. “I had only wanted to turn a negative into a positive, but I did just the opposite,” Dejarion says. “I ended up turning a positive life into a negative outcome.” Since his incarceration, Dejarion has completed courses in parenting, fitness, nutrition, and advanced Spanish. Unless the mandatory minimum laws change, Dejarion will be in prison until he is in his mid-40’s and his daughters will be grown women when he is released.